The Final Battle
by Shinmechslade
Summary: [Sequel to Midnight Blossoms] At the end of every legend, there is a final battle, a clash betwen good and evil. This is the story of one such battle. [Updated: Chapter 13]
1. Chapter One

The Final Battle  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon or X/1999 (yeah, that last bit will become clear when you read the fic)  
  
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A/N: Well, here it is. The sequel to Midnight Blossoms. This first chapter is a monster and it'll give you a good idea of how long this fic is going to be compared to Midnight Blossoms. I wasn't kidding around when I said Midnight Blossoms was the prologue to this much bigger work. As always, Read and Review. I, unfortunately, can't make any guarantees concerning when chapter two will be out.  
  
Oh and Hikari is very Out of Character. I've tried to explain why but don't know if it'll work. Tell me if it does or if it doesn't.  
  
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Images: death, fire, destruction. The world on fire, consumed by darkness. The bodies of comrades lying broken on the ground. And then the voice, always the same voice. "Your destiny approaches. Do not fail us." Afterwards, nothing but a cold darkness until awakening.  
  
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Takeru fell into the lake with a loud splash. Sputtering, he swam up to the surface and glared at the closing portal above the lake. This was the third time he'd been dumped into a lake. It was fate that was against him. He had gone through more attempts then he cared to count, ended up in countless different dimensions and still, he hadn't found his own reality. Oh well, maybe this time would be the charm.  
  
Swimming over to the shore, Takeru checked his surroundings. The lake was pretty small and was surrounded by forest on all sides. Overhead, the sun was high in a clear cloudless blue sky. Judging by its position in the sky, it was mid-afternoon.  
  
Dragging himself onto the grassy shore, Takeru collapsed on the ground. Turning over onto his back he stretched out his arms behind his head. His dark gray shirt and pants were soaked but he didn't really care. The sun would dry them soon enough and he needed to recover his energy. Opening and traversing gateways was taxing work.  
  
Concentrating, Takeru tried to de-merge from Angemon and found that he couldn't. Frowning, he stood up and tried again. It still didn't work. That was weird. No dimension he had been to had affected him like this. Taking off his shirt, he concentrated and two white wings burst out from his back and a golden staff appeared in his hands. He transferred the staff to one hand and stretched out the other and caused a small flame to appear there. Closing his fist, he quenched the flame. It seemed that all his other powers were intact except that he couldn't de-merge.  
  
'Sorry old friend,' he thought inwardly. 'Looks like we're stuck like this until we figure something out.'  
  
Angemon's tone, when he replied, sounded amused. 'Take your time. I'm finding some of your memories quite hilarious.'  
  
'Have fun in there,' Takeru thought back. 'Although I'm surprised you can still find memories in there that you haven't already seen.'  
  
There was a small grunt of amusement but no reply. Shrugging, Takeru lay back down on the ground and wrapped his wings around his body as a makeshift blanket. Closing his eyes, he fell asleep. Much later, he awoke to a loud noise. Rubbing his eyes, he watched as a strange looking craft, which bore a remarkable resemblance to one of those spaceships in the American Star Wars movies, sped overhead. Unfurling his wings, he flew up and watched the craft disappear into the distance. He wasn't fast enough to follow it but at least now he knew in which direction civilization lay.  
  
Evening was giving way to night and Takeru realized that he was hungry. Retracting his wings, he plummeted down and landed on the ground. However, as he was descending, something further up the shore caught his eye. Heart suddenly drumming in his chest, he grabbed his now dry shirt and made his way to the object. 'It couldn't be, it just couldn't be.' Vaguely, he was aware that he was holding his breath. His suspicions were confirmed as he came upon a small television set, tilted upwards diagonally, its back sunk into the earth. Scrambling to his knees, he touched the front panel and slid it aside. Engraved beneath the panel was a symbol that caused his heart to skip a beat. The sideways eight signifying eternity was the symbol of the Guardians. Which meant:  
  
"I'm home," he murmured, unable to believe his eyes. Quickly sliding back the panel with the engraved symbol revealed the familiar dashboard. There were a number of buttons here, carved in the shape of different runes. His fingers ran over the dashboard of their own accord. He still remembered the code for Earth and couldn't wait to get there. There was a promise to be kept.  
  
The monitor's screen flickered and then the words, 'unable to comply,' flashed across the screen. Scowling, Takeru inputted the code again but it still wouldn't work. He tried a few other codes that would allow him to travel within the Digital World itself but those had no effect either.  
  
Takeru leaned back, resting on his knees. Something was definitely wrong with this whole scenario. Earlier elation wearing off, he unfurled his wings and flew up. He had traversed the Digital World from one end to the other but he didn't recognize anything among what he now saw. Floating gently back down to the earth, he became more aware of just how hungry he was when his stomach growled. The next few minutes were spent foraging for food in the woods around the lake. He didn't find much but he didn't need much either. He had gone long lengths of time without food. After he had eaten his meager scraps, he flew back up and headed into the direction the aircraft had taken.  
  
Three hours later he saw the city.  
  
The woods had continued unbroken underneath him, gradually growing more and more sparse until finally he had arrived at a flat grassless plain. It was across this plain that he had seen lights in the distance and had approached cautiously. He had never seen this particular city before and the biggest concern he had were the numerous humans manning the walls. That was an anomaly in itself; humans did not have cities in the digital world. How long had he been away?  
  
Cautiously flying closer to the city, he began to pick out more details. The outer wall of the city rose approximately forty feet into the air and was manned by sentries. Beyond the wall was a rather small city consisting of two or three blocks and right in the middle of the city, surrounded by yet another manned wall was a citadel. Takeru narrowed his eyes, squinting in the darkness. It was a good thing that his sight was greatly enhanced in his merged state. There was a moat that surrounded the wall around the citadel. Whoever had built this city had built it for defense.  
  
He was hanging in the air observing when suddenly a huge light blinked on atop the walls and nearly blinded him. A loud voice blared for him to come down and reveal his intentions. It seemed that the sentries had seen him. Raising his hands to show that he meant no harm, he landed near what could only be the main entrance to the city. The light stayed on him, following him down.  
  
As he landed, the gate started to open and a small army of young men burst forth. He watched them curiously as they surrounded him. They were wearing the long flowing white and gray robes of the Guardians yet he hadn't seen any of them before. How long had he been away?  
  
The crowd of figures in front of him suddenly parted and a young blonde haired man walked forth. Takeru started forward to meet him but stopped as there was a bright green flash and the earth at his feet suddenly became charred and blackened. It was then that he noticed the blaster like attachment that most of these young men were wearing on their wrists.  
  
Retracting his wings into his body and donning the shirt he had taken off earlier that day, he said, "The hospitality of the Guardians seems to have changed since my day."  
  
The blonde haired youth frowned. "We're not Guardians," he said. "Who are you?"  
  
His answer was puzzling but Takeru decided to mull it over later. "Just a traveler," he responded to the boy's question. It paid to have anonymity until he discerned just which side these people were on. "I know I'm in the Digital World but which continent is this."  
  
The boy ignored him. "Where is your id?"  
  
"Since when was an id required to travel in this world?"  
  
"Get the cuffs," the boy yelled out and so Takeru found himself inside a cell, in a dungeon underneath the citadel he had been observing.  
  
In retrospect, things would not have been so bad if the cuffs they had put on him hadn't robbed him of his powers or if the cell had not been so small or if it had not been quite so dark. He pleaded for a light but they ignored him. In the end, he was left in a small cell, draped in darkness.  
  
He made his way over to the small cot set in one corner of the cell as the guards left, taking the light with them. Scrambling onto the cot, he lay down. The position was uncomfortable because they had cuffed his hands behind his back and had not bothered to switch the position. Swinging his legs up, he slid his cuffed arms underneath and fixed that particular problem. Then, he closed his eyes and retreated within his own mind just as the last trace of light disappeared into the distance. He would not be getting much sleep this way but at least he did not have to deal with the dark and in any case, he didn't need much sleep because of his earlier nap.  
  
He was awakened an indeterminate period of time later when somebody unceremoniously kicked him off the cot. Blinking his eyes, he raised a hand to cover them and looked up to see the same boy that had arrested him last night, standing over him. In his hand, he carried a flashlight, which he was shining right into his eyes.  
  
"Was that really necessary?" Takeru asked struggling to his feet.  
  
The guard frowned. "The lady will see you now."  
  
"The lady?" Takeru questioned. "Is she your leader, the ruler of this city?"  
  
The frown on the guards face deepened. "Either you're a really good actor or you're telling the truth about being a clueless traveler. In any case, Lady Yagami will decide what to do with you and, yes, for lack of a better term, she is our leader."  
  
"Lady Yagami," Takeru said softly. "That wouldn't be Hikari Yagami, would it?"  
  
"Yes, now let's go."  
  
"Hikari Yagami, the little sister of Taichi Yagami?"  
  
"Yes, but he's in Rayne right now. Let's go."  
  
"What year is this?"  
  
The guard blinked at that, then scowled. "Enough questions. You can ask everything of the lady herself."  
  
And then he was being prodded forward. It was a long way to the top level and Takeru covered his eyes from the harsh light when they finally got there. It seemed that he had spent the whole night and most of the morning in the dungeon. There was no time to sight see though as the guard prodded him in the back again. Pretty soon they were standing at the end of a hallway in front of a plain looking wooden door.  
  
Apprehension filled Takeru as the guard opened the door. Things had obviously changed a lot in the time that he had been gone. How much had the chosen changed? He suddenly wondered how old Hikari had gotten.  
  
As he entered the room, his eyes shot straight to her of their own accord. She was sitting at a desk, in the sparsely furnished room, going over some documents. Her brow was furrowed in a familiar look of concentration that he remembered from long ago. He studied her closely and was relieved to find that she had not aged remarkably. Her hair was a mass of wild curls atop her head tapering off to a single braid that hung down to the middle of her back. On anybody else it would have looked unkempt but it framed her face rather nicely, highlighting her crimson, brown eyes. Frowning, he noticed the dark circles under the very same eyes signifying a lack of sleep and made a mental note to ask about them later.  
  
Beside him the guard coughed politely and she looked up...... and visibly stiffened upon seeing him.  
  
Takeru waved at her, as best he was able with his cuffs. He could feel himself grinning like an idiot. "Hello, I was hoping for a more dignified or flamboyant entrance but......" he held up his cuffs and deliberately trailed off.  
  
There was a sudden pressure within his head and he dropped his mental defenses allowing her inside. He stood that way a long time, his eyes locked with hers. Then, her presence within his mind retreated and her physical self broke contact with him, leaning back in her chair.  
  
"It's you," she said softly, a tone of wonder in her voice. She began to get up from her chair. "Ta......" Suddenly, Iori was beside her side, his hand on her shoulder keeping her from getting up.  
  
"Are you sure," he asked looking down at her.  
  
Takeru stared in amazement at Iori's sudden appearance then surreptitiously checked his surroundings to make sure if anybody else was there. He had not done such a great job of checking out his surroundings when he had come in. Hikari had taken up his entire focus.  
  
"I'm sure," Hikari replied. "I placed wards in his mind that would identify him to me and he has memories that none of the other copies had."  
  
"Still, we should run all the checks," Iori replied. "At this time we can't afford to take any chances."  
  
Hikari attempted to get up once again. "I'll......"  
  
Iori kept his hand on her shoulder, firmly keeping her in place. "You have several important appointments today. I'll deal with him."  
  
Hikari looked up quietly, meeting Iori's gaze with her own. Moments later Iori looked away. Takeru smiled inwardly. He had never been able to stand that gaze for long either. Truthfully, he doubted anyone could. He had seen her make even Tai back off with it once.  
  
Suddenly Hikari sighed, leaning back in her chair and closing her eyes. "I suppose you're right," she admitted. "I shouldn't get my hopes up. Still, he does look a lot like him, right down to that goofy grin."  
  
"The other one had that too, didn't he?"  
  
"Wasn't the same."  
  
"Heh, I guess you would know."  
  
Both suddenly turned towards Takeru who quirked an eyebrow. "Before we begin with these...... checks, could I know how long I've been away."  
  
"It's been two and a half years," Iori replied.  
  
Takeru turned towards Hikari. "My count stands at two years and seven days."  
  
"Mine stands at two years, six months, fifteen days, twelve hours and fifty two minutes."  
  
Takeru chuckled softly. "I suppose this six months gives you a full year of seniority to hold over my head."  
  
Hikari turned back to Iori. "Well, he's certainly got Takeru's subtlety. In one stroke he's gotten information from us and demonstrated something only Takeru and I knew."  
  
"Still as perceptive as ever, I see." Takeru said softly.  
  
"I think you better take him away Iori before I change my mind."  
  
Iori nodded and started forward. However, Takeru stopped him before he could lead the taller man out of the room. "One moment. I want to leave something behind as further proof that I am who I appear to be."  
  
Iori glanced back at Hikari who nodded.  
  
"Unbutton the top of my shirt and reach in for a side pocket to the left. There is an object there that carries great value for me." Takeru nodded towards Hikari. "I will leave it with you but I expect it back when we meet after these checks have been run."  
  
Working methodically, Iori quickly retrieved said object. He stared at it for a long moment, then turned and tossed it to Hikari. She snagged the object out of mid-air as Takeru and Iori left the room. Opening her fist, she found that she was holding a small, battered harmonica.  
  
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"This is our medical center," Iori said spreading his hands expansively.  
  
"You're being overly dramatic," Takeru replied studying the small white, bare room whose only consent to furniture was a chair.  
  
"Yeah well, the actual center is actually quite large. This is just a small part of it. Now, we've got all your medical records on file from your time with the Guardians. We'll do a standard DNA check first although it won't exactly prove anything. The last Takeru clone had all of the real one's genetic material."  
  
"Oh? What happened to him?"  
  
"Long and tragic story," Iori replied quickly. "Now please sit down." He indicated the lone piece of furniture in the entire room.  
  
"One thing first," Takeru quickly interjected. "I am bio-merged at the moment. I can't de-merge for some reason."  
  
"I know," Iori said. "Don't worry, we have a strong enough needle to penetrate your thick skin and we have records of your bio-merge data from the Guardians as well."  
  
"All right." Takeru sat down in the chair. Immediately, metal clasps closed around his wrists and ankles.  
  
"Relax," Iori said calmly upon seeing Takeru stiffen. "The restraints are to keep you from jerking around too much."  
  
"I see," Takeru spoke stiffly. "Remind me to tell you about the other time I was strapped to a chair like this."  
  
Iori didn't reply, instead, he walked over to a sidewall and flipped a switch. A giant hole slowly slid open in the ceiling of the room and a giant apparatus lowered through it. Takeru couldn't help but grin upon seeing it. The whole thing stank of Koushirou's sense of humor. The apparatus was cylindrical in shape with a massive end that gradually tapered off into a thin needle. The effect was at once menacing and comical.  
  
The device slowly swiveled over to his right side and plunged the needle forcefully into his bicep. After an interminable period, the needle withdrew. Shortly thereafter, the lightshow started. A horizontal beam of light ran over Takeru's body several times. And then, it was over. He was a little surprised since a full physical checkup, when he had been with the Guardians, had taken a lot longer. Apparently, Koushirou and Ken had helped along the process.  
  
The restraints binding Takeru to the chair snapped opened and he rose to his feet. "It will take some time for us to check the results." Iori said from his position beside the wall switch. "Meanwhile, you can come with me to our tech room. There's something there I want you to open."  
  
The tech room lay at the heart of the citadel. It was a large room with a humongous machine at the center, which, Iori explained, powered the citadel and the surrounding city. The room was ringed by platforms where individual monitors were displayed. Iori took Takeru to one such platform using one of the many hover-lifts floating around the room. At least that's what Takeru thought they would be called. They were made up of a round surface affixed with a podium like control panel.  
  
"How long did it take you to construct all this?" Takeru asked a little awed.  
  
"The whole city?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"It took Hikari and I three days of working in tandem to create this city."  
  
Takeru blinked at that. "Just you and Hikari? You'll have to explain that."  
  
"Actually, more Hikari then me. Her powers have grown exponentially ever since she recovered her crest."  
  
"Crest? That's impossible. We gave up our crests a long time ago."  
  
Iori glanced back at him. "There is a lot that has happened in the last two years. I'll explain everything after you pass the next two checks. Ah, here we are." He said guiding the hover-lift aside one of the platforms. Jumping off, he led Takeru to a computer panel set inside a wall. "This particular monitor contains the files of various Guardians including one large folder which apparently belongs to you."  
  
Takeru grinned. "Let me guess, Koushirou couldn't hack into the folder because of my extra security precautions. The particular virus I used was rather brutal. At the slightest hint of a break in, the folder would delete itself and take along the majority of files on its server." Then something else occurred to him. "I take it that something has happened to Sanctuary if all these files are here."  
  
"Yes," Iori replied enigmatically. "Now, please open the file if you can. You will only get one chance for the obvious reasons."  
  
"I understand," Takeru replied, stepping up to the monitor. His fingers flew across the small touch screen. The system was familiar considering that it was practically the same one the Guardians had used. Beside him, Iori watched impassively as he deftly navigated the security measures he'd set into place long ago.  
  
"What is in this thing?" Iori asked, curiosity coloring his voice. "The size of it is quite large."  
  
"A number of things," Takeru said distractedly. "A personal study into the theories regarding the Digital World's existence and whether it is a bi-product of Earth's own technology or whether it is a separate dimension altogether. I never arrived at a pure conclusion. Then there are several older texts from the Guardian Library, which I copied but wasn't supposed to as well as the Prophecy of Darkness and Light and my own partial trans...... oh, there, I'm done." Takeru stepped back and motioned Iori forward to take a look. It was then that he noticed that Iori stood frozen in shock. After a moment, he finally moved forward and started scrolling through the contents of the folder.  
  
"You probably have no idea the wealth of information you've just unlocked for us." Iori spoke finally. "The actual prophecy was lost in the first attack on Sanctuary. Without it, we've been stumbling around blind against the Undersea Master." He suddenly turned back to Takeru. "There's just one more test left and afterwards I promise I'll explain everything."  
  
Their next destination turned out to be the same room where Takeru had met Hikari and Iori earlier that day. Iori quickly took the vacant seat Hikari had been sitting in and motioned for Takeru to take a seat on the opposite side of the desk. Opening a drawer within the desk, he took out a small device and slid it towards Takeru. It was his D3.  
  
"Nobody has been able to get into this either," Iori said. "Open it."  
  
Takeru hit a few buttons, entered his password and slid the device back towards Iori.  
  
"Welcome back," Iori spoke, studying the blinking screen of the D3. "Some of us were beginning to lose hope of you ever getting back."  
  
"I understand. Dimension hopping, especially the way I was doing it, isn't a precise art. My biggest fear was to come back and find all you long dead. Instead, I come back to find the world radically changed. What has happened in the last two years?"  
  
Iori sighed and leaned back in his chair. "That, is a long story. It all began on that night when all of us got together for Mimi's visit. You obviously know the events that occurred soon after, so I won't dwell on them but after you destroyed the gate, we started our attack on the generator sites. After we had destroyed those machines and returned to normal time, we received an urgent communiqué from the Guardians. While we had been displaced in time, the Undersea Master had launched an attack on Sanctuary. We arrived too late to do anything. The attackers had burned down the Great Library and had introduced a virus into the Guardians' computer systems, which was destroying all of their files. Koushirou and Ken managed to save as many as they could but we lost a lot of information. Afterwards, we tried to get back to Earth but found that we couldn't. The attackers' virus had shut down and blocked all portals to Earth. Neither Koushirou nor Ken had foreseen this because it boxed the Dark Ocean inhabitants with us. It had other side effects too. We found that we could not de-merge and nearly all of us were bio-merged at the time. Daisuke, Miyako and myself nearly died. However, Azulongmon and the other protectors chose that moment to step in. You and the rest of the chosen had given up your crests but recognizing the danger, Azulongmon and the other protectors had crafted the crests again. I, along with Daisuke and Miyako didn't get any obviously but we were granted some extra power, enough to stay in our bio-merge state for longer periods of time now. It was after getting our powers back that the Protectors told us about the rest of the humans stranded here with us. The total number was five thousand. We knew that we could not stand against the Dark Ocean alone and so we split up to track down these humans. Koushirou and Jyou went to the Continent of Sol, Miyako and Sora went to the Continent of Igniz, Mimi and Tai to the Continent of Aisa, Daisuke and Ken to Ellum and Hikari and I stayed on the continent of Sever."  
  
"We established the Cities so we could have a base of operations on each continent. As you could probably guess, Koushirou was the designer for this one. In fact, he pretty much designed all of the cities with painstaking detail. Anyways, we were not the only ones trying to recruit the other humans. The Undersea Master had once again established a presence here. It quickly became a war of propaganda but we did fight more then our share of pitched battles, which ended up costing, lives. In the end we both got roughly half of the human presence here. Ever since then, it has been one running battle after another between our forces. The Undersea Master has established his own presence on each continent through guarded portals that link the Dark Ocean to the Digital World."  
  
Takeru sat still, absorbing the information. "Where are the Guardians in all this?"  
  
"Some are with us while some are trying to rebuild Sanctuary."  
  
"Rebuild?"  
  
"Yes, earlier this year, Sanctuary was destroyed completely. It was retaliation for us trying to nuke R'lyeh."  
  
"The Undersea City."  
  
Iori frowned at him. "Yes, how did you know that? We didn't know what it was called until Koushirou and Ken started dipping into ancient Earth legends."  
  
"I was working with the Prophecy of Darkness and Light and it mentioned the city." It was lie but hopefully Iori wouldn't see past it.  
  
"All right," Iori said buying the story for now. "Anyways, Koushirou and Ken started into the ancient Earth mythos because of the parallels between the Kyoto legends and the Digital World. They chanced upon the Cthulhu Cycle. At first we just dismissed it but after a bit more delving, we began to see some parallels. Cthulhu was a dark God that was banished to a city, which later sank beneath the waves. He was banished by the Elder Gods. We think that those are supposed to be Azulongmon and the rest but can't be sure."  
  
"Speaking of Azulongmon and the others; have they taken an active hand in this."  
  
"Afraid not. They expanded a lot of energy when they created the new crests and haven't fully recovered yet. We are pretty much alone in this like we have always been. We are currently at our highest alert because over the past few weeks there have been stirrings. Something big is about to happen and we have no clue what it is going to be."  
  
"Ok, I've just got one more question. When I came in last night, the guards asked me for ID."  
  
"Yeah, that was a system we came up with to reduce infiltration. At first it wasn't necessary because our forces were relatively small but as they grew, we had to come up with a system. This city alone holds up to three hundred people. Nowhere near as many as we need but still, it makes infiltration easy."  
  
"And the cities themselves. You said that you and Hikari constructed them yourselves."  
  
"How much do you know about matter manipulation in the Digital World?"  
  
"I've read the theories," Takeru said thoughtfully. "In a world seemingly composed of data, it shouldn't be hard to reorganize that data to suit your own needs. Nobody has done it before though. I assume that is what you and Hikari did?"  
  
"Yes," Iori replied. "Normally, such activity would put a lot of strain on us but with the power given us by the four Protector's, it was a cakewalk. The hard thing was planning the details like plumbing, power and other stuff. Koushirou took the majority of that upon himself and well, these are the results."  
  
"How soon can you have an ID read for me?"  
  
Iori looked at him with hooded eyes. "Are you thinking about leaving already? Hikari will not take that well and I'm not about to let you distract her again."  
  
"Relax," Takeru said absently rubbing his shoulder. "I have...... changed. Hurting her is the last thing I want to do. In any case, it was just a question. However, what are you planning to do with my copy of the Prophecy and the others should know that I'm back."  
  
"The prophecy is already on its way to Sol via one of our couriers. We can't e-mail it because as you can guess, each city exists on a closed network. You're never really safe in this world unless you exist on a closed network. As for the others, Hikari and I will present you to them at our semi-annual summit next week."  
  
"That seems a bit risky. What if you need to contact each other hurriedly?"  
  
Iori tapped the top of his head. "We've each got wards in our mind. Set up by Mimi, Sora and Hikari, they let us communicate with each other. However, due to mental stress, they are only to be used in case of emergencies."  
  
Takeru leaned back in his chair. "How is she?" He asked suddenly.  
  
"She'll tell you that herself," Iori said rising to his feet. "I'll show you to your quarters. I have a few appointments of my own today."  
  
His quarters turned out to be the size of a small apartment. There was a small main room with a bathroom and single bedroom attachments. After locating a towel and picking out an outfit from among the dozens he found in the closet of his bedroom, he took a shower. After that, he sat down on the sofa in the living room and began to wait. Iori had posted guards outside his quarters and told him not to try leaving.  
  
Abruptly, he found himself being poked awake by one of the guards posted outside his door. Apparently he had dozed off while waiting. The guard informed him that Lady Hikari would see him now. Which, of course, presented a few problems in itself. Nearly ten minutes later, he found himself standing outside the door to her quarters. Taking a deep breath, he pushed open the door and stepped into darkness. After a moment he amended that description; it wasn't complete darkness, just a real deep gloom. In the entire room, he could make out a dim outline of a sofa and a small round table set a little ways behind it. There was a small candle on the table giving off the only trace of light in the entire room. She was seated at the table, a vexed expression on her face.  
  
Looking up, she saw him and rose to her feet. His breath caught in his throat. In all the years he had known her, she had never looked like this. He took in the short black dress she was wearing. It barely came up to her knees, leaving her arms bare. Glancing down at his own rather drab attire composed of black pants and a light gray shirt, he felt rather inadequate.  
  
"Well, are you going to stand there gawking all day?" Hikari spoke walking up to him.  
  
"Uhm......" He was totally out of his element here. His eyes kept darting over her body of their own volition. With considerable effort, he managed to focus on her face and kept his eyes from darting southwards. "Umm, that's a different look on you," he managed feebly as she came to stand before him.  
  
Reaching forward, she took his hand and pressed something into his palm. There was a soft jolt of electricity that tingled through his body followed by a slight feeling of nausea. He stared at the back of his hand in surprise and found the Crest of Hope imprinted there. He looked questioningly at Hikari and she raised her own hand to show him the Crest of Light tattooed on the back of her hand.  
  
"You can de-merge now. It'll help with the nausea."  
  
Takeru nodded and concentrated. A short moment later Angemon appeared beside him.  
  
"Angewomon is out on a scouting mission at the moment," Hikari said, grabbing Angemon's arm and steering him towards the door. "Have the guards show you back to Takeru's room or wherever else you want to go."  
  
There was a light sardonic grin on the angel's face as she nearly shoved him out into the hallway. Closing the door, she turned around and saw Takeru still staring at her. She quickly walked forward, threw her arms around his neck and kissed him softly.  
  
Stepping away, she said, "You went crazy on the mouthwash."  
  
"I...... uh, yeah," he replied laughing nervously. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and opened them again. She was looking at him with a small smile playing upon her lips. She probably knew how badly she was affecting him. Collecting himself as best he could, he asked, "What is all this?"  
  
"It occurred to me earlier today that we've never had a proper date and well, what better way to welcome you back." She grabbed his hand tugging him after her. "Besides, you must be hungry. There's just one rule, no shop talk."  
  
He obediently followed along after her and took a seat at the table. Then, something occurred to him. Jumping up, he raced to the other side of the table, barely beating Hikari to her own chair and pulled it out for her. She stared at him, her lips twitching upwards as she fought to contain her amusement. He could feel himself turning beet red.  
  
"Well," he said after a moment, "sit down already." With a slight giggle, which made him blush even harder, she took her seat. Trying to maintain as much dignity as he could, he walked the short length back to his own chair. It seemed like eternity.  
  
They ate in companionable silence, occasionally glancing at each other.  
  
"So...... umm, Lady Yagami?" Takeru said, finally breaking the silence.  
  
Hikari chuckled softly. "Yeah, it is a bit silly. It started with the Digimon and just sort of spread through the ranks."  
  
"What, nobody picked up on the Queen title?"  
  
She made a face at him. "The Numemon still call me that. A few of the guys picked it up but I had Iori stamp it out before it got too far."  
  
"So, you still have guys fawning over you wherever you go," Takeru said grinning. It was an old joke between them and he teased her about it any chance he got. Of course, this engendered the usual response from her.  
  
"Ouch," he yelped as she kicked him under the table. Bending down to rub his shin, he muttered, "I see you haven't lost your vicious streak."  
  
She gave him her best looking innocent expression.  
  
"Oh, ha ha. Don't give me that sweet looking, Angel of Light look. I was the innocent one. You were the one that dragged us into one misadventure after another."  
  
"You were hardly innocent. I seem to remember somebody once doctoring my sandwich with three different types of hot peppers."  
  
Takeru waved his hand dismissively. "That was only because you tricked me into giving you my bottle of soda and besides, it didn't seem like such a good idea when you were holding me down and trying to stuff the rest of that sandwich down my throat."  
  
Hikari grinned. "Hehe, yeah, I was still two inches taller then you back then. You're lucky Tai showed up when he did. I was ready to kill you that day. You knew how much I hate spicy foods."  
  
"Nah, you wouldn't have killed me. You needed me to bail you out whenever somebody caught your mischief."  
  
"You weren't that important. I could get out of most trouble myself. It was just that one lady......"  
  
"Ms. Sazaki," they said together and burst out into laughter.  
  
"Remember the time, she caught us in the janitor's closet," Takeru said grinning.  
  
"Yeah," Hikari replied smiling fondly at the old memory. "I thought we were busted for sure and then you started crying at the top of your lungs and attracted that huge crowd allowing me to sneak out unnoticed. I would have been so dead if she had seen me too."  
  
"And you repaid me by stealing my only bottle of soda, one week later."  
  
"Funny, I thought I repaid you by saying 'thank you.' And besides, I didn't steal it. I flipped you for it."  
  
"With your brother's two headed coin."  
  
"Not my fault you were so naïve."  
  
"Yeah, I suppose it was too much to think I could trust my best friend."  
  
"Oh c'mon, don't get all huffy. We were barely nine years old when that happened."  
  
"It was a very traumatic experience. Like you said, I nearly died."  
  
Hikari burst out into laughter at that. "Oh, very clever. You always did get some perverse pleasure from throwing my own words back at me."  
  
Takeru raised his cup in mock salute. "I learned from the Quee...... yowch."  
  
Hikari smirked at him. "You're not that clever."  
  
"You cruel woman, I wonder why I stayed friends with you."  
  
"I suppose you were another one of those guys fawning over me. You should be glad I kept you around this long."  
  
"Who's throwing words back at who now."  
  
Hikari took a sip of water. "So, where have you been for the past two and a half years."  
  
"Just jumping from dimension to dimension. Because of time disparity between dimensions, I didn't stick around in any for long. Well, except for the last one where a priestess sensed my presence and enlisted my help. I guess that is where I accumulated those extra six months."  
  
"What did you have to do?" Hikari questioned, leaning forward seemingly intrigued.  
  
"Very little actually. The priestess transported me to a ruined city. It took me a while to realize that the city was Tokyo. Anyways, a boy lay dying in the midst of a place, which had likely been the epicenter of the battle that destroyed the city. I was told to heal the boy and I did. Afterwards, the priestess combined her powers with mine and sent me on my way. I ended up here."  
  
"What were their names?"  
  
"The priestess was called Hinoto. I didn't ask about the boys name."  
  
"That's it? You're away two years and that is the best story you can tell?"  
  
"Well, if you'll remember, I made a promise to a rather forceful young woman and frankly she scared me enough that I didn't want to dawdle too long."  
  
"I...... I wasn't...... I'm glad...... I was.... afraid."  
  
"I know," Takeru whispered, reaching across the table and taking her hand. "I will never be able to make up for how much I've hurt you. And it was all for nothing in the end. I learn my lessons too late sometimes."  
  
"It's okay. Even then, you thought you had my best interests at heart."  
  
Silence, and then:  
  
"Wow, you realize that we've been sitting at an empty table for over an hour now."  
  
Hikari stared down at the table in amusement. "I remember when we used to do this all the time."  
  
"Things were different back then."  
  
"Yes they were." Hikari smiled wistfully. "The thing I missed the most when you first left were those Friday nights we used to spend together just talking."  
  
"I missed those talks too. We could start them again even if we don't have as many things to talk about as we did back then."  
  
Something flashed in her eyes. It went by too fast for Takeru to place it but he felt strangely unsettled.  
  
"Excuse me," Hikari said, pushing back her chair and rising to her feet. "I need to go freshen up. Make yourself comfortable." She clapped twice and the room brightened a bit.  
  
Takeru stared wonderingly around at his surroundings as Hikari retreated to a side door and vanished inside. Her quarters were set up much the same way her apartment in Odaiba had looked. He knew because he had spent quite a few of his younger days there. Rising to his feet, he was led almost against his will to the familiar balcony he remembered from so long ago. Sliding back the glass door, he stepped outside. Glancing up at the stars, he quickly spotted a few familiar constellations. Judging by their positions in the sky, it was sometime between nine to ten o' clock.  
  
"Beautiful, aren't they." Hikari said from behind him. "Living in a big metropolis like Tokyo, you never see all that many stars but here, they shine brightly every night."  
  
Takeru turned around and looked at her standing just a few feet behind him. "Yes, very beautiful," he agreed softly, his eyes never straying from hers.  
  
Hikari blushed, looking down. "Where did you pick up flattery?"  
  
"What do you mean? I was just agreeing with you about the stars."  
  
His voice held such a childlike tone of innocence and puzzlement that she felt herself blushing in embarrassment. That is, until she looked up and saw him struggling to keep his grin in check. Growling, she strode forward. 'So he wanted to play, did he.' She had the brief satisfaction of seeing his grin vanish completely as he took a short nervous step backwards. Grabbing his collars, she pulled him down and kissed him. This kiss wasn't like the first one though. She had restrained herself then, had been gentle. This time, she poured all her passion and strength into the kiss. Her hands went from his collars to around his neck pulling him closer. She forced her leg between his as he put his arms around her and returned the kiss. Returned it only as much as she let him as her mouth hungrily devoured his own. He had compared her to fire once and she meant to scorch him. It seemed to work as she felt him literally swooning in her arms.  
  
It was lack of breath that finally drove them apart. Panting, Takeru grasped the balcony railing to keep from falling down. His knees seemed to have gotten strangely wobbly. Across from him, Hikari seemed to be faring much better. She stood, back straight and a small smile playing upon her lips. Takeru's eyes widened, she couldn't mean to......  
  
"You owe me for a broken promise and five years of missed opportunities." Reaching forward, Hikari grabbed his arm and tugged him along.  
  
'Oh hell, she did mean it.' His mind was awhirl with thoughts, protests and strangely enough, fear. He would have never thought he would be afraid when this moment came but there it was. Most of it probably had to do with the fact that he'd had so little time to prepare. Well no, that wasn't true exactly, he'd had two whole hours to prepare. He should have known the moment he'd walked in through the front door where this night would lead. And he'd asked for their Friday night talks. Damn, he was naïve.  
  
The walk to her bedroom was way too short for him to come to terms with the situation. He hesitated outside her door and nearly had his arm pulled out of its socket as she yanked him roughly inside. He stumbled against her and she used his momentum to swing him around and shove him towards her bed. He fell back on top of it and then she was there atop him, straddling his waist. Quickly, he grabbed her arms before this went too far. She stared down at him questioningly.  
  
"I...... umm.... sorry..... I don't..... NO, I want to, god, I want to but......"  
  
Her eyes slowly widened in understanding. "You mean you've never ......"  
  
"Uh yeah," He glanced sheepishly at her. "I just never found time for other pursuits."  
  
Hikari reached down and gently brushed a stray lock of hair from his forehead. "What do you want to do? We could sto......"  
  
"NO," he said a little too loudly and a little too quickly. She stared down at him, a light smirk on her face and he reddened. "I don't know," he sighed finally.  
  
"This shouldn't be uncomfortable for you, especially when it's your first time. We don't have to do this tonight. I'm sorry, I just got a little carried away." She started to rise up off him but he kept her in place.  
  
"No, wait." He took a deep breath. "Just lead me through it and I swear if you laugh......"  
  
Smiling, she leaned down and silenced him with a kiss. Nuzzling his neck, she whispered, "Don't worry, just go with your instincts."  
  
'Go with my instincts? What the hell does that mean?'  
  
"You weren't doing so bad when we were fourteen."  
  
He hardly remembered that. It was a blur in his mind. And then, she moved against him and all thought vanished.  
  
____________________________  
  
(Heh, this isn't an NC-17 fic) Four Hours Later  
  
"So, what are you thinking?" Hikari asked as she snuggled back against him.  
  
Takeru reflexively tightened his arms around her. "Actually, I was thinking about that bottle of soda...... yowch." He rubbed his stomach where she had just elbowed him. "Geez, would it kill you to be gentle with me for once in your life."  
  
"I was gentle with you at the beginning and besides, I'm not the only one that lost control."  
  
Which was true actually. He distinctly remembered being more then a little brutal himself, pinning her arms above her head and thrusting savagely against her. She had taken it though, had even laughed breathlessly as he held her wrists in a bruising grip. He felt himself stirring again at the memories and groaned inwardly. Knowing Hikari, she'd want another go and his healing powers notwithstanding, he definitely wasn't recovered enough from last time.  
  
"So," he spoke, stalling for time, "who did you do it with your first time?"  
  
There was a strangled choke at that. Her voice when it came sounded unusually embarrassed. "God, what kind of question is that?"  
  
"A good one," he replied primly. "C'mon, I'm almost sure it was Daisuke."  
  
There was a brief silence at that.  
  
"You're not angry," she finally spoke.  
  
"No, I'm not. I pushed you away in the first place." Takeru sighed. "So, how was he compared to me," he added trying to lighten the mood. However, this comment earned him another elbow. This one delivered with a considerable amount of force behind it. "Gah," he grunted in surprise, the breath knocked out of him. It was easy to forget what this woman could do to you if she got annoyed.  
  
"Are you trying to embarrass me."  
  
It seemed he'd taken it too far once again. "Awww, c'mon," he wheezed. "We've shared everything since we were young. You know me better then I know myself sometimes. You don't have to worry that I might be offended. You know me better than that."  
  
Silence.  
  
"It...... it's not that," Hikari said hesitantly. She took a deep breath. "God, how do you manage to unsettle me like this. Nobody, not even Tai has this effect on me."  
  
"I guess it's the old Ishida/Yagami bond."  
  
She laughed at that. "You know, I never put much stock into that old theory of yours but looking back now at how our brothers used to be at each other's throats, I'm not so sure."  
  
He kissed her shoulder. "So, are you going to tell me."  
  
"You're not going to let this go."  
  
"Afraid not."  
  
"I hate you."  
  
He chuckled softly. "Yeah, I know."  
  
Hikari sighed, leaning back against him. "I don't like to think about that time in my life. After our fight and when you left, I was angry, confused and went straight to something familiar. Daisuke was...... sweet, caring, understanding. I used him though, used him to try and forget you and I went further with him then I had any right to go. Like I said, not my greatest moment. In the end, he broke up with me saying that our relationship was doing me more harm then good and that I needed to come to terms with myself. It was surprising coming from Daisuke of all people."  
  
"I'll say. We really underestimated him, didn't we."  
  
"Well, later on but not at the beginning. I still think you should have been leader of the second team."  
  
"We've been over this before," Takeru said. "You know my reasons, Kari. Daisuke was a lot more sure of himself then I was at that point, my prior experience notwithstanding. Besides, I've never been comfortable with leading. I prefer to do things on my own."  
  
"You'd better adjust your way of thinking. All of us Chosen and Destined are leaders here. When we return from the summit next week, you will likely have a host of new duties to perform."  
  
"You're such a killjoy."  
  
"Yeah, I know," she replied in a fair imitation of his voice.  
  
Takeru laughed and then something occurred to him. "Hey, wait a second......" he got no further as Hikari twisted around in his arms and kissed him with bruising force, rolling him over onto his back. She was about to pin his arms above his head when something wholly different occurred to him. Surging forward, he flipped them around so that he was on top, pinning her to the bed.  
  
"Wait, not so fast. I've got one other question."  
  
She growled impatiently.  
  
"No, it's not about Daisuke. I'll get to that some other time although nice work on almost managing to divert......"  
  
"Takeru." Her voice held a threatening tone.  
  
"Ok ok, when I came in this afternoon, I saw some pretty dark rings under your eyes. How much sleep have you been getting? I meant to ask this earlier but everything else came up." He frowned down at her. "And that's not all. I look at you now and I notice that you're thinner then you used to be. Tell me, what's wrong."  
  
"Nothing's wrong," she snapped at him. "First Iori and now you. I don't need you two to mother me."  
  
Takeru's eyes narrowed. "So, Iori's already brought this up. It must have been going on for some time then. Tell me." He voiced the last bit as anything but a request.  
  
Her anger disappeared slowly. "I've been having bad dreams," she said finally. "That, and the added stress of running this place has been getting to me. At least that is how Iori explained it. It is more the dreams then the work, I think. Most nights, I can't even get back to sleep after having the dreams."  
  
"What type of dreams are they? Could it be the Dark Ocean trying to reach you again?"  
  
"No," Hikari shook her head. "I've considered that possibility. I've put wards on my mind but nothing seems to help. As for what type of dreams they are, you know, the usual death, destruction bit. There is a presence though and I don't sense any malice from it but I don't sense any compassion either. On the whole, it is rather confusing."  
  
"You should take tomorrow off," Takeru said, looking down at her. "We've spent nearly half the night in...... ahem...... rather taxing physical activity."  
  
Hikari shook her head. "No, I've got several important things to do tomorrow. Don't worry, it won't be the first time I've gone without much sleep."  
  
"I'm sure Iori can handle the extra slack for a day."  
  
"I'm not so sure he can," she shot back defiantly.  
  
Takeru sighed. "Don't make me pull rank on you. You may be able to intimidate Iori but you can't intimidate me."  
  
She raised an eyebrow at that.  
  
"Ok," he amended quickly, "you can't intimidate me that much."  
  
"What makes you think you can pull rank anyway or that I would let you."  
  
Takeru grinned down at her. "There is not much you can do against this clause and Iori will back me up on it. Remember back when we were drawing up the command structure. Jyou insisted that a healer would outrank the leader if the healer felt that the leader was pushing him or in your case herself too hard. As the senior healer here at the moment, I'm making a judgment decision. You will stay in your quarters and rest tomorrow."  
  
Hikari sagged back slowly as he spoke.  
  
"All right," she said finally, "but only if you stay with me."  
  
Which was what he'd been expecting she would ask.  
  
"I will," he said slowly. "Just as long as we're clear that you're to sleep and nothing else."  
  
"Of course, now let me up."  
  
"Hah, what do you think I am, a complete idiot. I let you up and you're liable to try breaking my arm for forcing you to do this. No, I'm not letting go until you calm down."  
  
"I was nine years old, Keru. Give me a little credit."  
  
Takeru had to admit that she had a point. He let go of her hands and leaned back. Her eyes suddenly flashed. Too late he realized his mistake and lunged forward, trying to grab her arms. She twisted aside expertly and he ended up face down on the bed with his arm twisted behind his back. He had fallen hook, line and sinker for her act just like when he was young. It was patently unfair. Was he really this naïve.  
  
"You lied." 'God that sounded childish.'  
  
"Yes, and you fell for it just like the sweet, innocent, gullible cutie you used to be." She was silent for a minute. "You recognize this hold?"  
  
"How could I forget," he responded wryly. "You used to put me in it whenever you wanted to bully me into doing something for you."  
  
"Very good," she murmured and then stayed silent for a long while.  
  
"Um...... Kari?"  
  
She yanked back hard on his arm. "Be quiet, I'm thinking."  
  
"Ow, that hurt you friggin' amazon."  
  
She laughed which was a good sign. "That's a new one."  
  
"What can I say, I'm good at improvisation." He needed to be excellent actually if he was going to get himself out of this. "Uh, Kari," he tried again.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
At least she was willing to listen. "Will you let me up, please." 'Oh really smooth genius. Like she's going to let you go because you said please. Remember who you're dealing with here. She's not one to forget someone challenging her in any way.'  
  
"No."  
  
'Well that was rather predictable.' Something suddenly occurred to him, something Yamato had told him long ago. "I love you Hikari." She remained quiet and feeling emboldened, he continued. "I know how much you hate showing weakness in front of anyone but if you're serious about this, about us, then you have to accept that I will want to protect you even if you get angry at me. You're the strongest person I know but even you can't do everything alone."  
  
She let go of his arm and he rolled over onto his back just in time to receive a punch in the shoulder. Thankfully, there wasn't much force behind it.  
  
"Damn it, I want to stay angry at you," she huffed, crossing her arms beneath her breasts.  
  
He sat up and tentatively put his arms around her shoulders, not knowing whether she would accept him just yet. She seemed receptive though and sank back into his arms. He held her for a while, gently stroking her chestnut colored hair. And then, just because he was who he was and because she brought out the trickster in him or even because he was a contrary person, he leaned forward and whispered into her ear, "So, about Daisuke."  
  
Growling, she twisted around in his arms. He managed one short laugh before she pushed him over onto his back. His last thought as she roughly slammed his arms above his head was that no amount of 'I love you's,' were going to save him now.  
  
_________________________  
  
'God, what a vicious woman,' Takeru thought smiling fondly down at the girl sleeping next to him. He hurt in places he didn't even know he had. Mentally, he filed away the fact that angry sex could be acutely painful. At least he'd gotten her to fall asleep a little before dawn. She lay curled up against him right now, her head resting on his chest. The situation presented its own problems. He had to let Iori know about today and he couldn't do that without waking her up. And if she woke up, he had no idea what she would do. Oh well, at least he couldn't say that life with her wouldn't be interesting.  
  
Gently enfolding her in his arms, he delicately laid her down on the bed. Her eyes snapped open. 'Oh damn.'  
  
"Where are you going?" She asked in a voice that didn't sound like she'd been asleep a second before.  
  
"Uh... nowhere." He answered feebly.  
  
Her eyes narrowed dangerously.  
  
He quickly held up both hands. "Alright alright, don't get crazy. I was just going to call up Iori and tell him about today."  
  
"Ok," she said simply, closing her eyes. "Use the vid phone in the next room. It's the same type the Guardians had so you should have no problems with it."  
  
Takeru rolled out of bed and donned his pants and shirt, wincing, as the fabric stretched against the scratches on his back. Then, limping, he made his way to the main room.  
  
The vid phone was set in the wall next to the door that led out of Hikari's bedroom. It was a small touch screen with a list of names as well as an integrated keypad. Takeru scrolled down the list of names until he got to Iori Hida. Clicking on the name, he placed the call.  
  
"Takeru?" Iori looked surprised when he appeared on the small screen.  
  
"Iori," Takeru bowed formally. "Hikari won't be in today. She has decided to stay in her quarters and rest. Can you handle whatever she has to do today?"  
  
Iori nodded slowly. "Yeah, no problem. Our schedules are pretty light considering that we're leaving in a few days for the summit."  
  
"She certainly fought me like she had a lot to do." Takeru said scowling.  
  
"You know how she is," Iori replied grinning. "You should see what I'm doing because I forced her to sit out yesterday. Is there anything else?"  
  
"Yeah, the DNA results from the test yesterday. Are they in yet?"  
  
"Yes, you passed." Iori frowned. "But why should that matter. It seems that Hikari's already accepted you."  
  
"Just covering all the bases." Takeru hesitated. "Listen Iori, we.... need to talk, about... things. My circumstances have changed. I'm not the same person I was two years ago. We should talk sometime."  
  
Iori's expression was guarded. "I understand. When do you want to meet?"  
  
"It is up to you really. Any time you can make in your schedule would be ideal."  
  
Iori thought that over for a bit. "You should say what you have to say to all of us," he said finally. "It will be easier that way and you won't have to go from person to person. How about you wait till the summit."  
  
Takeru nodded. "That seems ideal. Thank you."  
  
"Till then."  
  
"Till then."  
  
Takeru signed off and then limped back into the bedroom. Hikari automatically curled up next to him as he got into bed. Smiling, he put his arms around her and closed his eyes. They both awoke eight hours later, hilariously, at the same time.  
  
_____________________________  
  
"So, what do you want to do?" Hikari asked as she stepped out of the bathroom.  
  
Takeru looked up from where he'd been lounging on the sofa. His face lit up as he beheld her attire, a white blouse and a knee length gray skirt. "The schoolgirl look, very becoming."  
  
She blushed slightly, crossing over to the sofa and lay down on top of him. Takeru groaned as she pressed herself against him causing his body to sink deeper into the couch.  
  
"Didn't you get enough last night."  
  
She grinned mischievously down at him. "I distinctly remember someone begging me not to stop."  
  
Takeru reddened. "You heard that."  
  
Hikari's grin widened. "Oh yeah." She leaned down and nibbled his earlobe. "Ever last word," she teasingly whispered in his ear.  
  
Takeru groaned burying his face in her hair. Her laughter didn't help. It was still astonishing to him how all his vaunted self-control had deserted him last night.  
  
He gasped suddenly, his back arching up slightly as Hikari rubbed her leg slowly between his. Her hands seemed to be everywhere, running through his hair and then unbuttoning his shirt. He buried his face in her shoulder, stifling an involuntary moan as her hands lightly ran down his chest. And then, she stopped.  
  
"You know," she breathed in his ear, "I don't think I'm ready to forgive you just yet."  
  
Takeru stared at her incredulously, than threw his head back groaning in frustration. "You cruel, mean, vindictive, abusive...."  
  
Hikari swatted him playfully in the shoulder. "Hey, I'm your girlfriend now. You're only allowed to say nice things about me."  
  
"Is that some new rule they invented while I was gone."  
  
"Quite possibly." Hikari propped herself up on her elbows and looked down at him. "You look very cute when you're flustered."  
  
Takeru rolled his eyes. "So, how long are you going to make me pay for being right."  
  
"See, it's smart alec comments like that which get you in even more trouble."  
  
Takeru sighed. "Could you at least get off me and let me...... recover."  
  
"Let me think." Hikari pretended to consider. "No."  
  
"Yeah, how did I know that was coming."  
  
Her only response was laughter. They lay there a long time, her head resting lightly on his chest.  
  
"Kari," Takeru said suddenly, breaking the silence.  
  
"Takeru, I swear if you say something to ruin this moment, I'll kick your ass."  
  
"Uh well, never mind then."  
  
Wordlessly, she sat up, straddling his waist. "Something just occurred to me," she said. "How are you feeling?"  
  
"What do you mean?" Takeru asked glancing warily up at her.  
  
"Well, we both had our fair share of bumps and bruises after last night. You obviously healed them while we slept and since it takes you a while to recover from healing someone, much less yourself, how are you feeling."  
  
"I'm not feeling too bad actually." Takeru raised his right hand and stared at the palm. "The scope of my power seems to have increased. So, since I'm feeling well what are you planning on putting me through."  
  
"I was thinking about that night when we were fourteen. It occurred to me that in all the years we'd known each other and out of all the times we'd rough housed, you'd only ever beaten me twice. I avenged that first loss but never got a chance to do anything about the second."  
  
Takeru gaped at her. "You can't be serious. Didn't you get enough rough housing last night."  
  
"Oh c'mon, it'll be fun. There's practically nobody here I can go all out against without hurting them badly. You'll be the most decent competition I've had in ages."  
  
"No," Takeru said shaking his head. "I'm not doing this. You can't make me."  
  
"I'll make it worth your while."  
  
That got his attention. He glanced cautiously at her. "What are you proposing?"  
  
Hikari pretended to think for a moment, tapping her chin. "If you win, I'll forgive you for usurping my authority."  
  
"And if you win?"  
  
She leaned down, grinning seductively. "Well then," she whispered in his ear, "I get to do things to your to you tonight that would make any man envious." He trembled slightly as she blew into his ear.  
  
Drawing in a shuddering breath, Takeru forced himself to calm down and fought back the desire that threatened to overwhelm him. It didn't help that her hands were back on his chest or that she was lightly kissing her way down his neck. He tried to hang on to the tattered remains of his self-control and failed when she moved backwards, grinding her hips against his. It was entirely ridiculous, he had held up for weeks under torture, had the scars to prove it, and yet she'd broken him in record time. He remembered whimpering her name over and over, pleading with her not to stop as she teased him in unimaginable ways. And then the final act, which granted him release and sent him spiraling over the edge into darkness. Down and down until he felt he would never be able to find his way out again. It was much the same right now as she coaxed him closer and closer to that edge. He moaned her name, his own hands coming up to her slender waist. She rolled off him, rising swiftly to her feet. He tried to hold on to her, needing the warmth and comfort of her touch but she twisted nimbly aside, avoiding his arms. Anger replaced desire then, a swift hot rage. He had always been slow to anger but this was too cruel.  
  
"Damn it Hikari," Takeru growled in frustration, glaring at her.  
  
Hikari held up both hands placatingly. "I know, I know. I took it too far."  
  
He noticed then that her own face was a little flushed, her breath coming too quickly. Knowing he had leverage for the moment, he shot to his feet. It would help if he were staring down at her when he did this.  
  
"Ok," he said glaring down at her now, "here are the terms for this contest. If I win, you forgive me and don't try to dodge this by getting angry at me for winning. I know well enough to know that you'll try something like that. Furthermore, if I win, all we're going to do tonight is sleep." That was a particularly hard edict to hold to, especially now, but he had no choice. He couldn't sabotage his own efforts to get her to rest and they would inevitably end up.... expressing their love till dawn again if he didn't take the proper precautions.  
  
"And when I win?" Hikari asked simply, meeting his gaze levelly.  
  
He could admire her poise at times, her stubborn unwillingness to bend under any situation and at other times, like now, he could find it irritating. "If you win, you get what you asked for."  
  
She smirked. "I think I want to add a few more demands to that. For one, when I win, I don't want to have to put up with your flippant attitude. Secondly, I want you to drop the whole bit about Daisuke. Third......"  
  
"Do you want a pen and paper to write all this down?"  
  
"I will miss that wit when it's gone." She paused thoughtfully. "Well no, actually I won't. My third condition is that you give me your word that you'll never use that healer's clause against me again."  
  
Takeru's eyes flashed uncertainly. She was taking it a little too far.  
  
Hikari's smirk deepened. "What's the matter, too much for you."  
  
It was a remark calculated to make him react and it did its work. He spoke without even thinking about what he was agreeing to. "Fine, I agree. Where do we do this?"  
  
"There's a makeshift dojo in this place." She ran her eyes up and down his body. "But you might want to fix yourself up before you go there."  
  
Takeru glanced down at himself and saw that he resembled nothing more then a victim of a quick ravishing. His shirt was half unbuttoned and his pants showed signs of disarray. Muttering under his breath, he strode towards the bathroom. She had courtesy enough not to laugh at him.  
  
______________________________  
  
'This might not have been such a good idea.' Takeru thought as he watched Hikari perform an intricate warm up kata. It was too late now though. They were in the dojo and a few spectators were now sitting on the sidelines, waiting for them to begin. They had been there when he and Hikari had arrived and were now gleefully anticipating the outcome of the match. Someone had even started taking bets and the odds were heavily against him. It didn't help that he was getting psyched out just watching her.  
  
Takeru shook his head irritably, banishing all thoughts of losing. Attitude was an important part of how you approached a fight and it definitely wouldn't help if he approached this fight with a defeatist attitude. He focused on Hikari, observing her closely. She was clad in a simple white gi she had reformed around herself when they had arrived at the dojo. He had been surprised at the way her existing clothes had just reformed around her. Iori had mentioned the matter reformation theory but he had been surprised at seeing it in action. He had an inkling of how it was done. Banishing these thoughts too, he began studying Hikari's movements, trying to discern any weaknesses. Mentally, he ran over everything he knew about her.  
  
Hikari Yagami was one of the foremost warriors among their group. She had been taking martial arts and self defense since the age of ten and usually practiced at it every day, refining her skills. It was much like an obsession with her. Ever since she had been little, people had looked after her because of her frequent bouts with illness. After she had gotten well though and her parents and brother still hadn't stopped their over protectiveness, she had resolved to become stronger. Takeru had always wondered whether he had also played a part in her transformation. She hadn't always been this hard, confiding in him that she resented her parents' overprotection and telling him how it irked her. He had promised that he would never treat her that way and he supposed it helped that he had been weaker then her back in those days. However, that was before his growth spurt and before he had picked up sports. And then had come that day. It was strange how vividly he remembered it. The memory was over ten years old. They had been at Hikari's house, studying, and growing bored he had poked her playfully. Minutes later they were rolling around the floor in an impromptu wrestling match. He had handled her like a child. Afterwards, she wouldn't speak to him and her face had scrunched up and he feared she would cry. He apologized and it only made things worse. She asked him to leave. That had hurt in a way he had not understood till three years later. A distance sprang up between them in the following weeks until suddenly one day it had disappeared and things had gone back to normal. He had been extra careful from then on though until she had gotten fed up and tackled him one day at the park. He'd ended up with his arm twisted behind him while she calmly reminded him of his promise and threatened to break his arm if he ever forgot it again. It had been a particularly humbling experience but then again, what day with her wasn't.  
  
This led him to wonder how things would have gone between them if he'd had a lot more male ego. Of course, foolish pride had never been a problem of his. He supposed it had to do with the fact that strong, independent women had surrounded him all his life. First had been his mother who had moved on after a particularly painful divorce and had fashioned a career and place for herself, all while raising him. Then there was Hikari herself and after her had been Sora, who seemed wiser then most of the boys had been on their first adventure in this world. The only positive male role models he'd had were Tai and Yamato and he'd lost one and walked away from the other. His own father had been little better then a stranger. Burying himself in his work after the divorce. Then again, considering what he'd done to deal with love, maybe he wasn't so different from his father. That was a frightening thought in itself.  
  
He snapped out of his thoughts right as Hikari finished her kata. She stood straight, staring him in the eyes, the expression on her face, unreadable. "Are you ready?" She asked quietly. The dojo had gone deathly quiet around them.  
  
Looking into her eyes, he knew this would not be some simple sparring match. Nothing with her was ever simple; least of all something she took as seriously as this. He knew she would hold nothing back; it was not her way. She would try to beat the living daylights out of him and had calculatingly tried to anger him enough so he would hold nothing back. He realized now, too late, how brilliantly she had played him. There was a lesson there but he would dwell on it some other time.  
  
Takeru raised a hand, "one moment," and waggled a finger in the air. The light of his aura blazed brilliantly and under its cover he reformed his gray pants and shirt into the lower half of a gi. His upper body was completely bare, showcasing an impressive network of scars. There was a soft murmur from the spectators and he wondered just how many could tell that most of the scars were caused by torture. He gazed evenly at the girl standing across from him and nodded, "I'm ready." The dojo fell silent again.  
  
Hikari bowed formally, her eyes not leaving his. He bowed as well and they began circling each other. He hadn't noticed before but she had gotten slightly taller. She was a good 5'11 now as opposed to the 5'9 figure she'd had two years ago. It was quite a bit taller then any full- blooded Japanese woman had any right to be. He remembered Koushirou's theory concerning the phenomenon. It had something to do with the innate powers that had begun to develop in them at the age of fourteen.  
  
Suddenly, she rushed forward and he barely twisted sideways, avoiding the punch aimed at his head. He ducked under the elbow the punch became and tried to sweep kick her. She jumped over his leg and brought down her own in an axe kick. He blocked the kick, grabbing her leg intending to knock her to the floor. However, instead of trying to fight the momentum, she went with it and grabbed his shoulders, bringing him down on top of her. Both of her legs were suddenly under him though and for a brief moment they were face to face. He saw her smirk and then she uncoiled her long muscular legs sending him flying backwards through the air. He managed to curl his body and rolled gracefully to his feet. She was a bare second behind him. Whirling around, he blocked a kick aimed at his midsection and covered up as she aimed a rapid-fire barrage of punches his way. He managed to block the majority of them but a few still snuck past his guard. Grunting from the blows, he moved backwards. 'Damn, she had gotten faster.'  
  
Hikari granted him no respite, pursuing relentlessly as he fell backwards. He didn't even see the kick that smashed into his ribs, doubling him over. She followed that up with a punch to the face that sent him reeling. He was down on all fours, which was a particularly vulnerable position, which meant: her leg thudded into his chest and he curled his body around it. 'Haha, gotcha.'  
  
This time he was successful in taking her to the floor. She tried to kick him with her free leg but he was ready for it. They grappled and here he had the advantage. Her quickness was less of an asset then his strength in this position but her hand to hand skills still made her a dangerous opponent. With calm deliberation, he forced her struggling, writhing body underneath his. He had her arms pinned above her head when she suddenly curved underneath him and locked her ankles behind his neck. He had a brief second to wonder where she'd learned that before she jerked violently sideways. There was no choice really. It was either go with the momentum or suffer a cracked neck. He went with the former option since it kept him in the fight.  
  
Tumbling sideways, he tried to roll to his feet and got up as far as one knee before she was upon him. Her rapid-fire punches and kicks kept him in place, not allowing him to move. He blocked them as best he could, responding every now and then with a punch, which she dodged with contemptuous ease. Gradually, more and more of her blows started slipping past his guard.  
  
It was no good; he was slowing down while she only seemed to be getting faster. One of her kicks swept past his guard and smashed into his side. He gasped softly, that had been a particularly hard blow. It had also left him off balance. Hikari spun on her heel, driving a leg into the side of his face. That blow reduced him to both knees before her.  
  
Tasting blood on his lips, Takeru could tell it was almost over. She had won. 'Oh well, at least tonight would be fun.' He closed his eyes, emptying his mind and prepared for the last blow. There was a flicker of air, a whistle of wind and his hand, out of pure reflex, blocked the kick a second before it smashed into the side of his face. He managed to block the next few blows easily and it astonished him. He opened his eyes, trying to control his reflexes and failed as a barrage of punches and kicks tore into his body. Quickly closing his eyes, he gave in to his reflexes. That served him a lot better. His arms moved of their own volition with automatic precision and then out of nowhere he sensed an opening and his arm reflexively leapt forward in a punch. He felt his fist bury itself in Hikari's stomach and she doubled over. Moving mechanically, he removed his arm and she stumbled forward, having nothing to brace herself against. Jumping into a squatting position, he swept her feet and she crashed to the floor. She was turning around when he jumped on her, turning her back over and twisting her arm behind her. He pinned her legs by pressing his knees into the back of hers. She was completely immobilized.  
  
Takeru could hardly believe his eyes. He had her. He actually had her. As always, it was his tongue that got him in trouble.  
  
Leaning down, he whispered in a fair imitation of her voice. "Recognize this hold." She growled angrily and then threw up her shield.  
  
All Takeru saw was a sudden flash of light and then he was flying through the air. A detached part of him wondered why that was, exactly. He wasn't merged with Angemon. Technically, flight should not be possible. And then, he landed shoulder first with a loud thud. She was there instantly, sitting beside him.  
  
"Are you okay?" Hikari asked running her hand lightly down the side of his face.  
  
Takeru groaned opening one eye. "Why does everything fun with you always involve me getting hurt in some way."  
  
"I see your tongue survived intact." She said smiling. "I'm not sure whether that's a good thing or not."  
  
He managed to force a grin on his bruised face. "Get used to it sweetie. I won and you'll be hearing a lot more of it from now on."  
  
Her face took on a serious cast. "I want a rematch."  
  
That sounded strangely hilarious to him. He tried to laugh but it came out as a dry croak, not to mention that it intensified the stabbing pain in his ribs. One, or maybe even two of them were likely broken. He tried to rein in his hilarity and failed when she suddenly glared down at him.  
  
"Sweetie?"  
  
It was too much. That tone of indignation pushed him over the edge. He burst out into laughter or as close as what he was capable of at the moment. The blood came bubbling up minutes later and he rolled himself over with great difficulty and spat it out. Her arms were suddenly around his chest and he felt her power flood his body. He didn't need it but made use of it anyway and healed himself. It was the least she owed him for tricking him into this and then using her powers. Shutting the conduits of her power, he glanced up wearily. Hikari rose to her feet and wordlessly offered him a hand. He took it and she pulled him to his feet.  
  
"I'm serious about the rematch," she said in a matter of fact voice. "And, if you call me sweetie again, I won't go so easy on you next time."  
  
He grinned down at her. This was another old joke between them. She hated pet names and had only ever allowed him to call her 'Kari.' It was the barest concession to over six months of wheedling into her good graces. Still, being who he was, he'd managed to sneak in on or two every now and then and gotten off with a warning that usually had to do with anatomically incorrect acts.  
  
"Of course you're serious about the rematch. You wouldn't be you if you weren't." He put his hands on her shoulders, "now hold still," and healed the very minor injuries he'd managed to inflict. It was galling really, he had barely even touched her.  
  
"So, when do I get my rematch," she asked after he was done.  
  
"Oh, I was thinking a year, maybe five."  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
Her shriek set him off again only he was able to express his mirth fully this time. He watched her as he laughed and saw the smoldering look in her eyes as she began fuming. He could almost imagine smoke coming out of her ears; that only made him laugh harder. And then she tackled him to the floor. He held up both hands trying to fend her off all the while laughing hysterically. She grabbed both hands and slammed them beside his head.  
  
"Stop laughing you brute." She hissed down at him, her face a millimeter above his own.  
  
He surged up and kissed her savagely. He could play rough too, given enough motivation. Strangely enough, she melted into the kiss, her fingers clenching and unclenching around his. It was strange. Here he was, pinned underneath her and yet he was controlling this encounter. He would never understand this woman. Stopping his thoughts, he started to enjoy this newfound feeling of control. Knowing her, he wouldn't be allowed to keep it for long.  
  
A loud cough, sounding for all the world like someone trying to get their attention, interrupted them. Hikari broke away from him and got to her feet, a faint look of annoyance on her face. Takeru sighed, following along after her. A few feet away stood the same guard that had arrested him two nights ago. He now stood looking as if he'd rather be somewhere, anywhere else. A particularly wicked thought entered Takeru's head. Putting an arm around Hikari's shoulders, he said:  
  
"Oy, come to arrest me for taking liberties with your lady." Her elbow hit him in the short ribs a second later, driving all breath from his lungs. "You mean, vicious woman," he wheezed, doubling over.  
  
"Yes Yuri, what is it?" Hikari asked, ignoring him.  
  
Yuri coughed nervously. "Uh, some of us were wondering as to the identity of this man." He glanced towards Takeru who was still doubled over.  
  
"And you obviously drew the short straw," Hikari said knowingly. "Well, this man is one of my oldest friends and is also the lost Chosen bearer of the Crest of Hope." She nudged Takeru in the shoulder with her elbow. "Oh stop over exaggerating, I didn't hit you that hard. This is Yuri, the Captain of the Citadel Guard." She said addressing Takeru.  
  
Takeru straightened, reforming his clothes around himself. "Hiya," he said cheerfully.  
  
Hikari rolled her eyes. "Ignore him Yuri, he's still exulting over his victory. I apologize, he's likely to make the next few minutes highly uncomfortable for you."  
  
Yuri took Takeru's hand, looking a bit uncertain. "Uh, nice scars," he managed after a moment.  
  
Takeru grinned wolfishly. "Thank you, I managed to kill nearly everyone who put one there."  
  
_______________________________  
  
INTERLUDE  
  
She found him sitting alone atop the highest point of the palace. His long blonde hair fluttered behind him, carried by the brisk wind. The scarred, dented battle helm he had worn through countless battles lay forgotten at his feet as he gazed out at the world. His wings were wrapped around him, sheltering him from the cold.  
  
Tucking her wings, she landed lightly on the domed surface of the north watchtower. "I should have known you'd be here," she said taking off her own helm. "You always did like high places."  
  
He turned his head, smiling softly at her. "Hello."  
  
She sat down beside him, wrapping her wings around herself. "So, what are you thinking about?"  
  
"Not much," he said quietly. "So much has changed in just two years."  
  
"Nearly three for us. So, tell me, what adventures did you get into out there."  
  
"Not much to tell really, although our last stop was with the Elders."  
  
That surprised her. "Really? What did they have to say?"  
  
"They weren't pleased," he sighed. "Especially at our lack of action."  
  
"What can we do?" She replied defensively. "Setsuna's thrown everything into flux. They should never have met that early."  
  
"He had good intentions and was trying to protect Takeru from what he went through." He smiled bitterly. "It was I that failed to protect them both."  
  
"Just as I failed Hokuto."  
  
He looked at her reproachfully. "That was not your fault."  
  
"I should have protected her more. And what Setsuna is planning puts both Hikari and Hokuto in so much danger."  
  
"We have to trust in his plan, old friend. He will cleanse both of their spirits."  
  
"But the cost to Takeru......"  
  
"That can't be helped. I just hope that his soul is not irretrievably lost."  
  
She leaned against him. "They are so young. It isn't fair."  
  
"It was never fair." He replied sadly. "Setsuna broke the chain, now Takeru must finish what he started."  
  
"Will it end with this generation?"  
  
"I don't know. It will be hard."  
  
"Does he know about the elders?"  
  
"No, they blocked it in his mind."  
  
And so, there was nothing left to say. They sat in companionable silence as overhead, the first star began to twinkle in the sky.  
  
___________________________  
  
"You can't do this. I'll suffocate."  
  
"You should have thought of that before you put on that nightgown." Takeru leaned back smiling. "There, now you can't seduce me." He wagged his finger at her. "And don't try anything fresh."  
  
"Trust me, I couldn't even if I wanted to." Hikari glared at him from under the five heavy blankets she was pinned under. "Can I at least pull out my arms."  
  
Takeru pretended to consider that. "I don't know. Last time I trusted you, I ended up with my arm twisted behind my back."  
  
"Come on," she looked at him pleadingly. "I promise I won't try anything. Obviously the nightgown didn't work and I'm too tired to think up anything else at the moment."  
  
"Ok," Takeru conceded. "But keep on your side of the bed."  
  
Hikari sighed, pulling her arms out from under the blankets. "This is the last time I ever let you call the shots," she grumbled. "Where did you learn all that anyway?"  
  
Takeru propped himself on one elbow looking down at her. "I honestly don't know. After you got out of my hold, I was pretty much prepared to lose and then my reflexes kicked in. It was strange."  
  
"I'll say, you surprised me. It's the only reason you won."  
  
He grinned down at her. "Are you still smarting over that?"  
  
"I want me rematch, damn you."  
  
Takeru groaned, flopping face to face with her. "You won't give up until you get your way, will you?"  
  
"Why ask questions you already know the answers to," she replied.  
  
"I think I'll sleep on it."  
  
"What are you so scared of?"  
  
Takeru snorted in amusement. "You nearly killed me out there. Can you blame me for being a little unwilling about putting my life on the line so soon."  
  
Hikari glared at him, then turned around and closed her eyes. Takeru sighed, staring at her back. In the silence that followed, he wondered over a great deal of things until finally he decided to talk to her. She would still be awake if he knew her.  
  
"Hikari," he whispered. "Hey Kari, are you still awake?"  
  
Hikari turned around. "What? I'm trying to sleep like you wanted me to."  
  
"I just....." he ran his hands through his hair, trailing off.  
  
"Well?" Hikari asked impatiently.  
  
There wasn't any easy way to do this so he dove head in. It wasn't like he was especially subtle when it came to these matters. "You know, we haven't really talked since I got back. We just fell back onto what was familiar, our friendship.... but we're so much more now."  
  
Hikari reached forward, taking his hand and clasping it between her own. "What brought this on?" She asked quietly.  
  
"I don't know," Takeru said shrugging. "Nights always tend to make me maudlin. Probably because I spent so many of them, staring into a campfire."  
  
"Are you having doubts," she asked softly.  
  
It wasn't any use lying. She could probably read it in his eyes. "Yeah," he nodded, "I am." Her crimson brown eyes coaxed him on and he continued. "Back when we young, I always knew that I cared for you but I didn't once act on those feelings. It took a lot of coaching from Yamato before I was even ready to act on them but that was before everything went to hell. I thought for sure that you could never forgive me for everything I had done but you did." He hesitated, gathering his words. "I've never had your strength, your force of will. I spent six years trying to become strong and at the end you showed me that you were still the stronger one between the two of us. My life has shifted twice and both times I've had to change. The first was when my family was killed and the second was when you forgave me. But, in this second change, all my old doubts are back along with a couple of new ones. I've been alone so long that I don't know how to approach the others, how to ask for their forgiveness. I talked to Iori this morning and he suggested that I say what I have to say to everybody. What do I say to them though? What do I say to Iori, for that matter. He used to look up to me as an older brother and I abandoned him. And then there's us. I was thinking earlier today about how I'm not so different from my father. I'm so scared that I won't be able to make all of this work and that your feelings for me will change. And above it all, I'm afraid of disappointing you. I... what we have right now, I don't want it to change. I'm... happy. For the first time since my parents died. I... I don't want to go back to what I was before."  
  
Hikari was silent for a long time. "I was scared too," she spoke quietly. "For the past two years, I've been anticipating and dreading the day you would return. I was finally able to get you to open up only to have you taken from me again. Part of me always thought that you would return with your heart chained up tighter then before. But yesterday, when I scanned your mind, I could tell that you hadn't changed and my fear was gone. Now that I finally have you back, I'm not going to give you up again. And trust me, if my feelings for you could only get stronger during six years of separation, they aren't going to change." She gently caressed his face. "Now, why would you think that you could disappoint me."  
  
"You had to choose the tough one first, didn't you." Takeru chuckled humorlessly. "I've followed your lead in just about everything we have ever done together. Ever since we were children. You were always so calm and self-assured. It intimidated me at times, in many ways, it still does. I feel inadequate... that I haven't earned my place at your side through any merit of my own but because you fell in love with me."  
  
"You're being a fool."  
  
"Well, that was characteristically blunt."  
  
Hikari looked evenly at him. "I'm not going to be anything other then blunt with you regarding this. You know I was never a big fan of self- pity in anyone. Now, let me tell you what remember of you from when we were young. I remember a boy that vowed to protect me when everybody around us were dropping like flies. I remember that same boy stay true to that vow and rescue me from the Dark Ocean and then I remember that boy giving himself up to an enemy he hated, knowing that he faced certain death, because of that vow. You endured three weeks of torture for me and you didn't break. Your own strength has inspired me so many times through my own life. As far as I am concerned, you've more then earned a place at my side."  
  
"Even with all these doubts I have."  
  
"That doesn't necessarily make you unique," Hikari said gently. "We all have doubts. It comes with responsibility and it helps if you have someone to share it with. That is why we split up into pairs because we knew that it would be too much pressure if it was just one of us per base. Still, even with Iori here, the pressure sometimes gets to be too much. I can't talk to him the way I can talk to you." She hesitated a bit looking at him. "If you laugh at me at this next part, I swear the next time we spar, you'll end up with a lot more then just broken ribs. Now, I know that I'm not the easiest person to get along with and I make no apologies for that. However, you've always stuck by me and probably know how to handle me better then anyone. Like tonight for instance, I know Daisuke would have likely jumped me the instant he saw me that nightgown but you cared enough about me to keep yourself in check. That means a lot, Takeru."  
  
"I... thank you."  
  
Hikari wrapped her arms around him, snuggling against his chest. "As for the rest of it, the first step is always the hardest. All of us consider ourselves one gigantic family. I'm sure the others will welcome you back with open arms but you will have to take that first step."  
  
Takeru sighed putting his own arms around her. "What about you?" He asked after some time.  
  
"What do you want to know?"  
  
He thought about that for a bit and then remembered something from yesterday. "Tell me about my last clone."  
  
"Now who's choosing the hard topics." Hikari grimaced. "What made you ask about that anyway?"  
  
"Just something I saw in Iori's eyes yesterday. He was too quick to avoid this topic."  
  
"Yes, I suppose he would be. I... this is hard Takeru," she said suddenly. "I was such a fool."  
  
"Was he that good?"  
  
"No, I knew he wasn't you but......" Hikari took a deep breath. "It began when Iori and I first came back to this continent. We found him wandering lost, with no memory. Iori ran his tests and he checked out but he didn't pass my mental scans. He had none of the wards I had placed in your mind. Despite that and over Iori's objections, I kept him around. He was so innocent and was practically an embodiment of everything I loved about you. I knew he was probably a pawn of the Undersea Master but I didn't care. I wanted to save him and so warded his mind as best I could. The trigger though was innate and my wards were only designed to protect him from outer threats. It was designed to go off a month after he met us. A month of wheedling into our good graces. That month was pretty torturous for me. You were seeming right there in front of me but I knew it was an illusion. In retrospect, I should have listened to Iori and spared myself what came next. Your clone almost made off with the Crest of Hope because of me. In the end, I killed him myself. But, even then fate had a cruel twist in store for me. As I killed him, his prior personality came back. There was such a look of pleading in his eyes as he died that it broke my heart."  
  
There was silence for a long time afterward until Takeru finally spoke. "Why did you keep him around so long?"  
  
Hikari shrugged within his arms. "I don't know really. I suppose it was because a part of me thought that you would come back changed and I wanted something to fall back on. You'd hurt me so deeply once before. I didn't want to feel the same thing again."  
  
He flinched at that, remembering the night in question. It had been raining in the ruined courtyard of Sumeragi's citadel. She had confronted him there as he tried to sneak away. Something had broken inside him as she stood, barring his way, demanding he tell her where he was going. His frustration and rage at still being alive had reached its boiling point and he had literally blown up at her. Using eight years of friendship against her, he had exploited every weak spot he knew she had. Things she had told him in confidence, he had used against her that day. He remembered afterwards how she stood, shoulders hunched, hair plastered to her forehead, eyes downcast. She looked nothing like the strong, proud girl she was. He had wanted to take her in his arms, beg for her forgiveness, had done no such thing in the end and had merely shoved past her on his way out.  
  
"I..... I'm so sorry." Takeru whispered raggedly, tightening his arms around her. "I was so confused and I took it out on you. That excuses nothing though."  
  
"It's okay," she mumbled against his chest.  
  
"No it isn't." Takeru said vehemently. "I betrayed our friendship and lost your trust......"  
  
Hikari broke away from him and raised a hand to his lips, silencing him. "I forgave you. There's no use dwelling on the past."  
  
"But..."  
  
"Let me finish," she interrupted. "If I didn't trust you, I wouldn't be here right now and as for our friendship, it managed to survive."  
  
"I don't deserve you."  
  
"Well, that's true enough," Hikari replied grinning slightly. "Just promise me," she added quietly, "promise me that you won't ever leave me again."  
  
"I promise."  
  
She smiled then, a genuine smile that had always caused his heart to quicken, and leaned contently against him, closing her eyes. He was exhausted too and gave himself over to sleep. The last thing he heard before darkness claimed him was her sleepily mumbling, "I still want that rematch."  
  
________________________________  
  
It was on the fourth day, the night before they were supposed to leave for the summit, when Takeru found the wall in his mind. Life in the citadel had settled into somewhat of a rut for him. The first day, after Hikari had left, had been spent exploring the castle with an escort she had provided. He had stopped off in the dojo for a while and watched the various soldiers train and had been asked to join in. By then, word had spread of his fight with Hikari. It had garnered him a reputation since nobody before him had managed to beat her. He heard that she had even equaled, if not surpassed, Iori's skill with a blade. It was an impressive accomplishment considering that Iori had been practicing with a sword since the age of nine.  
  
He had been asked to give a demonstration of his own skill with a blade and had politely refused. His skill with a sword was negligent at best as he had always preferred his force pike. It was then that a rather arrogant young soldier had challenged him. He had been hard pressed during the fight until he had closed his eyes and let instinct take over. It was over rather quickly after that. After the fight, he had stayed in Hikari's quarters until she arrived hours later.  
  
On day two, he had awoken to find Hikari already gone and had spent the entire day looking for Angemon. He had abandoned the search at midday and had gone back to Hikari's quarters to wait for her.  
  
The beginning of day three had been much like day two but this time, he had asked to be escorted to Hikari's office. There, he had asked her to give him something, anything to keep him busy. In retrospect, he should have noticed the mischievous glint in her eyes. She had sent him to Digitamamon. The Digimon chef was responsible for feeding the entire citadel and was crankier then usual because he had run out of supplies. He'd had to stand there and form fruits, vegetables and meats out of thin air to the chef's satisfaction. It was painstaking, detail-oriented word and it kept him busy well past midnight. Still, it gave him an opportunity to test the breadth and scope of his new powers, which he suspected had been Hikari's intention all along. He stumbled into her quarters at two am to find her still awake. Murmuring something unintelligible, even to himself, he collapsed beside her and fell asleep.  
  
On day four, he was back with Digitamamon. The chef wanted a replica of an Anar. Apparently, it was an ancient fruit of the Digital World. The only problem was that there wasn't an exact replica for him to taste and recreate faithfully. All Digitamamon had was a vague description. In the end, that didn't prove much of a problem. He remembered the fruit, remembered tasting it and the feel of its seeds as he swallowed. The memories were not his own.  
  
That bit of strangeness, combined with his mysterious battle prowess, led him to terminate his session with Digitamamon a bit early. He arrived back at Hikari's quarters an hour before she was due back and started meditating, delving deep within his own mind for some answers. It was within the recesses of his mind that he found a block, which he was unable to get past. Someone had cordoned off a portion of his mind. The possibilities were a little frightening.  
  
Exiting his meditative trance, Takeru crossed over to the sofa and sat down. He didn't know where he had picked up this block. Closing his eyes again, he focused on everything that had happened to him in the last two years. Going over the string of dimension hops in succession, he tried to determine where he'd been waylaid. The only real encounter he'd had was with that one priestess who had offered him a way home in exchange for his services..... No, she hadn't actually said she was sending him home. She had said she was sending him to his destiny. What had that meant? Afterwards, he remembered falling into that lake. Maybe Angemon could shed some light on the matter.  
  
"What are you thinking so hard about?"  
  
Takeru blinked in surprise. He hadn't even heard the door open, so deep had been his concentration. Hikari dropped off a bunch of reports on the small table behind the sofa and embraced him from behind. He stiffened involuntarily in her arms.  
  
"What's wrong?" She asked, concern tingeing her voice.  
  
He tilted his head sideways, looking up at her. "I have to show you something you're probably not going to like."  
  
Moments later they were standing before the glowing blue field in his mind that signified a block. Hikari walked forward, running her hands over the field, probing at it with her mind.  
  
"Can you get past it?" Takeru asked.  
  
"No," Hikari replied after a moment. "At least not without causing irreparable damage to your mind. This block runs very deep. None of my initial scans picked it up."  
  
Takeru sighed. "There's no other choice then. You have to put me under heavy guard. We have no idea who put this here and what purpose it serves."  
  
"That's a little rash, isn't it?"  
  
"Not when it means your life."  
  
"Do you trust me?"  
  
The question was unexpected and left Takeru surprised. "Of course I trust you," he said slowly.  
  
"Good." Hikari smiled. "I want you to step out and leave me alone here for a little while."  
  
"Why?" Takeru asked confused. The request seemed strange since he could be more help to her here.  
  
"You're going to have to trust me on this." Hikari replied. "I know it's a strange request but it's necessary."  
  
"All right," Takeru said, "but we will talk about this later." Saying that, he disappeared.  
  
Sighing, Hikari waited a few moments and then yelled out, "Yamato, get out here right now." There was no response and she quit after a few more tries. Marshalling her psychic powers, she scanned Takeru's mind as thoroughly as she could. There was no trace of Yamato. Everything else was the same though which at least mean that this was her Takeru. Disconnecting from his mind, she stepped back into her own.  
  
"Well?"  
  
Hikari shook her head. "Sorry, no go."  
  
"That's that then," he said getting up. "You should call in the guards and have me escorted to the dungeon."  
  
She grabbed his arm, pulling him back down beside her. "Oh stop over- reacting and let me think for a moment."  
  
He stared incredulously at her. "This doesn't concern you in the least?"  
  
"Of course it concerns me," Hikari said fixing him with a steady gaze. "But I'm not going to act rashly."  
  
"I could take this to Iori," he threatened.  
  
She smirked at him. "You're welcome to try."  
  
He tried to get up but found that he couldn't move. He had the barest mobility in his neck, allowing him to twist his head sideways, but that was it. All of his other limbs were frozen solid.  
  
"I took a few precautions while I was in your mind," Hikari said by way of explanation. "As much as you like to challenge me, I'm afraid I can't allow it at the moment."  
  
Struggling was useless, she had far too much power and knowledge of the thoughtscape. Besides, he couldn't really hurt her like this so he resigned himself to waiting until she asked the inevitable question. All things considered, at least he didn't have to wait long.  
  
"Have you talked to Angemon about this?"  
  
He shook his head, the only expression he was capable of.  
  
"Do you know where he is?"  
  
Again, a negative shake of his head.  
  
"Probably with Angewomon," she muttered to herself before closing her eyes. A few minutes later she opened them. "He was with her atop the north watchtower if you can believe it. They are on their way here." She leaned against him, linking her arm through his limp one. "You know, I could get used to having you like this. Finally, your glib tongue can't ruin the romantic mood...... oh stop glaring at me like that. You wanted a guarantee that nothing would happen and I gave it to you. There are so many wards in your mind right now that it would be impossible for you to even lift a finger without my permission. Trust me, you don't want to spend another night in our dungeon. Especially with your dark problem. We'll have to talk about that later. You should have told me instead of me learning about it in your mind."  
  
Takeru turned his head away from her, his eyes clouding over. She gently turned him around to face her again. "I didn't mean to pry but the memory was so dark and filled with its own brand of madness that I couldn't help myself. You don't have to go through these things alone anymore." There was a soft knock on the door. "That'll be them," Hikari said, rising to her feet. "Uh, don't go anywhere," she shot back over her shoulder as she moved towards the door.  
  
He would have given anything to be able to roll his eyes at her. For all the haranguing she gave him about his flippancy, she could be just as bad.  
  
"Come in." Hikari ushered the two Angel Digimon into the room. "We have a problem."  
  
Angemon stared strangely at Takeru and then turned towards Hikari. "You found the wall in his mind?"  
  
"So you do know what it is."  
  
"Yes," the Angel nodded, "but I can't tell you anything about it."  
  
"By whose orders."  
  
"Takeru's." Angemon turned towards Takeru. "This will be hard for you to accept but you did instruct me to keep all details to myself. The wall will come down on its own when the time is right."  
  
"All right," Hikari responded. "I still have one question though." She walked up to Takeru. "I'm sorry Keru, but I made a promise long ago. You can't hear this conversation." Waving her hand over his face, she watched as his eyes slowly clouded over and he slumped backwards on the sofa. "I don't like keeping this from him." She turned, facing Angemon. "Where's Yamato?"  
  
___________________________  
  
Groaning, Takeru opened his eyes. He was sprawled out on the sofa and it felt like someone was pounding a drum inside his head. Raising a hand to his temples, he stimulated the nerve centers there until the headache gradually subsided. His healing powers were such a blessing sometimes.  
  
"Awake at last." Hikari's voice sounded from somewhere above him.  
  
With a start, Takeru realized that what he'd thought had been a pillow was actually Hikari's lap. Turning sideways, he looked up at her. "You know, I could wish you weren't so take charge all the time."  
  
She smiled down at him. "It comes with leadership."  
  
"I don't remember you being a leader when we were kids."  
  
She scowled at that. "Yeah well, you stuck around so you probably like it on some level."  
  
"More like I was too afraid to leave."  
  
Her eyes narrowed. "You're in a particularly vulnerable position right now."  
  
Grinning, he reached up and pulled her head down close to his. "So, have you stopped beating yourself up over putting me to sleep yet."  
  
Her eyes widened. "Oh damn."  
  
Takeru laughed out loud. "Your lesson in power and manipulation wasn't lost on me. Even if I did think it was a bit heavy handed."  
  
Hikari smiled ruefully. "I really should stop thinking of you as just another dumb blonde." Her expression softening, she asked, "you're not angry?"  
  
"No," he responded, "I said I trust you, remember. Besides, I know all too well how stubborn you are. When you're ready to tell me, I'll be here to listen."  
  
She kissed him softly. "I didn't think you'd give up that easily."  
  
"Well, you took care of the bigger issue and I'm really too tired to put up much of a fight. Now let's eat, I'm getting hungry. Afterwards, I'll tell you how I found that spot two nights ago." He rolled off her lap and helped her rise to her fee. Leaning against each other, they made their way to the small dining table. Tomorrow would bring new responsibilities but right now belonged to them.  
  
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Next: Love and Friendship 


	2. Chapter Two

The Final Battle (Chapter Two)  
  
Disclaimer: If I owned it, I wouldn't be writing stories about it.  
  
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A/N: Originally, this chapter was going to be somewhere in the ballpark of forty plus pages. I've decided to cut it down into two more easily manageable parts. In which case, Chapter three is almost done and will be up soon. From here, you will see the main plot begin to move forward as opposed to chapter one where I went overboard with the character development of Takeru and Hikari. BTW, I'll warn everybody right now, what I have planned for their pairing is going to break quite a few paradigms set in the past.  
  
Stick around and find out. ;)  
  
Oh and if you care to see where I am as far as progress goes on these chapters, just check my profile in the Author's Page. I update it, maybe twice, every week.  
  
Now, the story:  
  
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In the shadow of the mountain, the wind was cold. Thankfully, he had a fire and thick fur to keep him warm. Raising his paws to the fire, the Digimon stared into the flames. His heart was filled with a strange type of hope that had been missing in his life for a great many years. For a great many years now, his only companions had been the sun and the stars and the moon and most of all, these eternal flames. All things considered, poor company compared to the friends he had left behind many, many years ago. However, now he might finally be among those friends again, without the crippling shame that had driven him away from them in the first place. And all it had taken was a dream to light this small flicker of hope.  
  
There was a stir in the wind and he shifted his eight-foot frame and rose to his feet. Across the clearing, there was a white flash of light, gone as suddenly as it had appeared and then a tall muscular man wearing a long flowing black coat that came up to his ankles, was standing across the fire. He could not help it; unbidden, a grin crossed his face. The man grinned back.  
  
"What have you been doing all these years, old friend?" The figure asked him.  
  
"I ......" The words would not come. He had been alone so long.  
  
The man nodded, understanding his struggle. "It was not your fault."  
  
"I should have protected you."  
  
"You couldn't protect me from life and in any case, I should have taken more precautions. Now, let's not talk of the past. I'm here now and that is all that matters."  
  
"The others?"  
  
"Hopefully, if all goes well, we'll see them soon."  
  
____________________________________  
  
It was an old dream she had not had for years. Awakening on a bench in Odaiba Park, she stretched and rose to her feet. Right away she noticed that she was in her old high school dress. About to smooth down her skirt, she chanced to glance up and saw him approaching from a side trail. This was different and it made her apprehensive. As he got closer, he smiled at her. It was a smile that had sent the hearts of many a girl in Odaiba, aflutter. It was a smile that he had reserved especially for her. He opened his mouth to speak.  
  
Sora's eyes opened and she winced, raising a hand to ward off the shaft of sunlight that had fallen across her bed. Glancing away, her eyes came to the dresser next to her bed and stopped upon seeing the locket resting on top. It was her only memento of him. The last present he had given her. The locket contained a picture of him and it also contained an artifact that had been entrusted to her: the Crest of Friendship.  
  
Picking up the locket, she studied it for a moment and then put it around her neck. Rolling off the bed, she made her way to the bathroom. After showering and brushing, she grabbed a quick bite to eat and left her quarters. Entering her office, she found the Chancellor of the City of Flaim waiting for her. He was sitting in a chair opposite her desk, going over a sheaf of reports in his lap.  
  
"Lee, don't you ever sleep?" Sora sighed crossing over to her desk and taking her seat. "Have the second wave of scouts returned yet?"  
  
The twenty-year-old sitting across from her looked up. "Good morning, Lady Sora," he said formally.  
  
Sora rolled her eyes. The boy was too prim and too proper. "When I gave you the title of Chancellor, I told you that you didn't have to call me by any honorifics."  
  
Lee blinked at her. "Protocol has to be followed," he said by way of explanation. "I've intensified patrols around the city but have not yet received words from the second group of scouts although I still maintain that it is likely nothing serious." He passed the sheaf of reports across the desk to Sora.  
  
Frowning, she stared down at the papers. There was something niggling at the back of her mind concerning the disturbance. It had occurred two days ago as a report had come in from the outpost of Farez concerning a possible sighting of dark Digimon at the hilly country to the west of the outpost. Any such sighting was disturbing since they had pretty much cordoned off the Undersea Master's influence in this continent to a small corner in the upper left portion. For some Digimon to have gotten past the primary outpost of Seona, whose duty it was to look out for such incursions, spoke of a dreadful possibility. She had sent out scouts but their reports had come back as inconclusive. Still, the feeling had persisted and she had learned to rely on such instincts over the years. Absentmindedly, she twirled the diamond ring on her finger.  
  
"May I speak frankly?" Lee spoke up. No doubt he'd seen her subconscious gesture. Waving her hand, she motioned for him to continue. "You should have left for the summit yesterday with Lady Miyako. You worry too much. Even if there is something, we have the power here to handle it."  
  
Sora thought about that a while. The summit was important and her presence there was required. She had put it off yesterday in case the scouts came back with something dire but they had reported that the region was as quiet as it had ever been. Still, because of her feeling, she had ordered more scouts out there and had instructed them to comb every inch of land.  
  
"You're probably right, Lee." Sora said finally. "I will wait until the second wave reports back and leave for the summit if they have nothing important to say."  
  
The rest of the meeting passed quickly as there was surprisingly little to discuss. Sora was a little amused by the fact that in anticipation of her leaving, Lee had pretty much organized the next two weeks around himself. It was a little daunting that she was that replaceable although Lee would have never said it to her face. She half- heartedly tried to steer the conversation towards some of the day-to-day duties that he was in charge of but he easily evaded the questions and in the end, she had to stop the meeting.  
  
Afterwards, she had very little to do so she returned to her quarters and rechecked her luggage to make sure everything was where it should be. It took about two minutes and then she was right back where she had started. For the next five hours, she lounged around her quarters. She regretted sending Biyomon off with Miyako. Her partner hadn't wanted to go but Sora had been insistent. She didn't feel quite so insistent right now.  
  
Around noon, word came that the second team of scouts had sent their reports. They had not found anything. Lee had her jet ready to go moments later. She should have felt annoyed at the presumption but the man was a more then adequate administrator and she allowed him his quirks.  
  
The jets were another quirk of one of her friends. They had been designed by Koushirou and Ken to address the needs of transportation. The five continents of the Digital World were large and traversing them was more than any two Chosen could handle by themselves. They were necessary and didn't have much of a learning curve to them.  
  
And so, half an hour after the reports came, Sora found herself aboard her own aircraft, preparing to journey to the small island to the north of her own Continent of Igniz. After running the required checks on her aircraft, she steered the craft off the launch pad and set off north.  
  
Two hours later, she encountered the dark cloud a little ways north of the second outpost of Seona. She had to admit that it was a strange sight. The sky was cloudless except for that one black cloud that stuck out like a sore in the clear blue of the sky. The feeling of unease within her deepened and her inner senses started screaming at her in alarm. Calming her senses, she sent a mental probe in the direction of the cloud ...... and recoiled as she was assailed by images of death and destruction.  
  
The cloud suddenly began expanding rapidly. Sora tried to turn her craft but it was too late. She was heading straight for the cloud. As she entered it, she saw a sight that horrified her. Under the cover of the cloud resided a host of dark Digimon. It was only her skills as a pilot that kept her alive. However, her craft was inevitably damaged as it was assailed from all sides. Still, she managed to steer in between a particularly thick patch of Digimon and broke through the cloud cover. Her craft had gone into a tailspin though and she had pulled back on the control stick with all her might. In the end, that action saved her life as the craft plowed into a lake.  
  
_______________________________  
  
He had been on his way south to the City of Flaim when he saw the black cloud hanging in the sky. His partner had agreed with him regarding the obviously sinister aspect of that cloud and they had begun to track its movements. Thankfully, the mountainous region they were in provided plenty of cover. On the fourth such day, they had seen the engagement between the cloud and the aircraft.  
  
Swearing under his breath, the man merged with his partner and started sprinting towards the site where the aircraft had gone down. In the end, the distance was not that far, especially in his bio-merged state. He arrived at the site to find that the aircraft was sinking fast into the lake. Jumping in heedlessly, he swam towards the craft and using his claws, ripped off the cockpit's roof. Water had begun to fill the small space and had drenched a familiar figure that lay slumped back in her seat. Her eyes suddenly opened but they were unfocussed. She was moments away from passing out but in that instant, she seemingly recognized him.  
  
"Ya ...... Yamato." Her eyes rolled back and she fainted.  
  
Yamato Ishida looked up at the sky and noticed that several dark Digimon had broken away from the cloud and were on their way down in pursuit of the craft. Slinging Sora's wet body across his equally wet shoulders, he started for the small cave that he had taken up residence in. They could hide out there until the Digimon passed them by.  
  
Getting to the cave proved to be a bit problematic. There were more Digimon then he had thought. However, he was merged with Were-Garurumon and could call upon a wolf's natural senses to evade the frequent patrols he encountered. Eventually, he was able to make his way to the small cave but then another problem arose.  
  
Her lips were turning blue. It had been cold outside and the breeze had not helped her condition. Sighing, Yamato settled her down and methodically stripped her until she was in her underwear. Her body had matured incredibly well from what he remembered. It was still as athletic as it had ever been; flat washboard stomach, toned arms and legs, broad shoulders tapering off to a slender waist. God, she was beautiful.  
  
Shaking himself, Yamato de-merged and instructed Were-Garurumon to keep watch outside. Then, stripping down himself, he fashioned a crude pallet from his clothes and taking Sora's limp body into his arms, rolled, so she was sprawled over him. Getting to his coat proved to be a bit of a problem because it lay a little out of his reach. This was compounded by the fact that this wasn't some small, delicate woman he was holding. She was very nearly as tall as he was which was actually freakishly large for a full-blooded Japanese woman. Furthermore, she had enough muscle to make getting up a little difficult. He began to regret sending Garurumon away. Finally though, after a bit of stretching, he managed to snag the edge of the coat and dragged it closer to himself. Wrapping the coat around himself and Sora, he settled back.  
  
Takenouchi, Sora. He remembered her; perhaps even more so then Takeru. It was hard to tell sometimes with his limited memory. She had been the wisest of them all on that first adventure to the Digital World. He had met her and Tai before that though, although he and Tai hadn't really become true friends until the adventures in the Digital World. Because of her deep friendship with Tai and out of respect to him, he had never made any overtures in her direction. So it had come as a tremendous shock when she had chosen him over Tai.  
  
He remembered that fateful day and was glad that he did so. So many of his other memories had disappeared but that one was one of his most treasured. She had come to him backstage at his concert. He had been getting ready to go out and perform his bands first major concert when she had appeared and stopped him. The fact of the matter was that she had caught him unprepared. The shock had very nearly ruined that first concert. Of course, that was before she had kissed him softly and given him a gentle push towards the stage. After the concert and the subsequent Digimon attack, he had tracked her down......  
  
Yamato frowned, pausing in his reminiscing. Had he talked to Tai before going to Sora? It seemed important to him that he should have but he couldn't remember. Either the memory didn't exist or he hadn't. Neither possibility was very comforting. He didn't want to think that he had betrayed Tai. They had been rivals and then the best of friends. That thought triggered its own memory; of the first day he had met the two people that had become so important in his life.  
  
He had been seven years old, entering his first day of middle school. His parents had gotten a divorce but had not wanted to put too much distance between himself and Takeru so they had stayed relatively close to each other. They still loved each other but sometimes love just wasn't enough. In any case, he had arrived at the new school in low spirits. He wanted to go across the street to the primary school and visit Takeru but wasn't allowed. At lunchtime, he'd gone outside and sat down under a tree overlooking a large soccer field. There had been a few guys out there playing......  
  
___________________  
  
FLASHBACK  
  
Yamato recognized the mood he was in. Things just hadn't been the same after his parents' divorce. He'd had a brother whose small earnest blue eyes had been the world to him. Every day for as long as he remembered, he'd gently shaken him awake in the morning so they could watch cartoons together. Even when he had started school, Takeru had not quit and had even burst into tears the one time he hadn't been awakened. Afterwards, he had woken up early and awakened Takeru and they had continued their tradition undisturbed. However, the divorce had broken this tradition and Yamato could not see any way to mend it. Just thinking about it put him in a state of melancholy. And so, he did what he always did when feeling this way; he pulled out his harmonica.  
  
It was an interesting device, this harmonica. His father had bought it for him just a few months before the divorce. Its main purpose had been to encourage his musical talents but after the divorce, he had found that it helped him deal with his emotions, with his depression. Sitting under the tree, he began to play, unmindful of whoever was listening. He put his heart, his emotions into the melody. After a while, he closed his eyes gave himself over fully to the music. An eternity later he finally stopped and heard clapping coming from directly above him. He looked up and saw a girl with reddish brown hair sitting on a branch a few feet above him. So absorbed had he been in his thoughts that he hadn't even noticed her.  
  
"That was really beautiful," she said jumping down and landing lightly beside him.  
  
Yamato flushed, he had never played for anyone else before. "Thank you," he said softly.  
  
The girl continued to stare at him and he found the gaze oddly unsettling. "My name is Sora," she said finally.  
  
"I'm Yamato," he replied hoping she'd go away. He wanted to be alone right now. However, he had been taught to be polite.  
  
"Oh, I know who you are," the girl, Sora, responded. "I saw you in the morning when you were coming into school. Since you're the only one with blonde hair in the whole school, everybody was wondering about you. Some girl, Takahashi Mai I think, said that your name was Yamato."  
  
He knew the girl. She had been a classmate of his in primary school. "I'm half French," he said by way of explanation. "I got my mom's blonde hair."  
  
The girl nodded as if that explained everything. "Why are you so sad?" She asked suddenly.  
  
Yamato blinked at that. That was a rather forward question from someone he'd met just a few seconds ago. He gazed steadily at the girl and she blushed slightly, turning away.  
  
"I'm sorry," she apologized.  
  
He felt strangely bad about her apology. "Don't be," he replied quietly.  
  
There was silence until suddenly, a soccer ball suddenly came flying out of nowhere. It barely missed him and crashed into the tree he was sitting against.  
  
"Stupid Tai," the girl beside him muttered.  
  
A boy with really thick brown hair and a pair of oversized goggles on his head came running up. "Sorry guys." He gasped, out of breath from his run.  
  
"Watch where you're aiming that thing." Sora said indignantly.  
  
The boy stared strangely at her. "Hi Sora."  
  
The girl gave a small, "hmph," and started walking away.  
  
"Oh come on, you've got to forgive me some time."  
  
She didn't respond and kept walking.  
  
"Come on Sora, I apologized for throwing up in your hat."  
  
If anything, her shoulders became even stiffer as she walked away. The boy sighed, turning towards Yamato. Blue eyes met brown. After a moment, Yamato tossed the boy his soccer ball. He took it and wordlessly turned back towards the field.  
  
END FLASHBACK  
  
______________________________  
  
He could feel her stirring in his arms finally. It brought a strange sort of apprehension in him. How exactly was he going to handle this? The past two hours had not been enough time to come up with a plan. Should he let go? Should he hold on? In the end, the decision was taken from him. She raised her head and froze upon seeing him.  
  
"Uh, Hello," he managed sheepishly.  
  
Her eyes went from confused to angry in seconds. He barely caught the right hook aimed his way. She hissed and pushed off him, getting to her feet. He followed up after her and she stared strangely at him. She looked down and seemingly noticed her state of undress for the first time.  
  
"You bastard," she screamed and rushed at him.  
  
Yamato held up his hands. "Wait Sora," and then she was on him. He dodged her blows, falling backwards. "Would you please listen?" He grunted, twisting nimbly aside from a kick aimed his way. He couldn't keep this up forever though. She was a more then capable fighter and the cave was too small for him to keep dodging. He had to respond and knock her out before they attracted undue attention from outside. Raising his hand, he fired off a small burst of ice at her feet. It was stopped as a nimbus of red light surrounded her. 'Damn, her shield.' He'd forgotten about that.  
  
Suddenly, a pressure began to build within his head. "Sora wait, please," he managed before she began using her telepathic powers. He fought her tooth and nail but he knew he couldn't keep this up forever either. It was only a matter of moments before she overwhelmed his mind. The telepaths had always been the most powerful among the Chosen, especially because they had those damned shields.  
  
His resistance was almost gone when suddenly a large figure tackled Sora from behind. It was Were-Garurumon. Yamato breathed a sigh of relied until Sora threw up her shield and his partner went flying through the air, crashing into a sidewall. He rushed forward but she suddenly glanced up and he froze in his tracks as the pressure within his head reduced him to his hands and knees.  
  
He had only one chance left. "January 21, 2001." He managed to grunt out.  
  
The pressure in his head gradually decreased. He looked up to find her standing over him, wearing his coat. "How did you know that?" She asked, staring down at him.  
  
"I'm... Yamato," he gasped out.  
  
Her leg crashed into his face sending him reeling to the floor. He tried to get up but her foot on his chest pushed him back down. "I don't have very much patience for this. Tell me the truth. How did you get my flight coordinates?"  
  
"He's telling the truth, Sora." Were-Garurumon said from where he sat rubbing his head. The werewolf digimon rose to his feet and a nimbus of light surrounded him as his body grew smaller and he de-evolved to his rookie level. "You know me. A long time ago, I looked like this."  
  
"Gabumon," Sora said wonderingly. She scanned him, her mind delving into his as he allowed her inside. She saw the truth of his words and the story behind Yamato's revival. Shutting off the connection, she took a deep breath. It was so unbelievable and yet, that was the story of her life.  
  
"Uh, hey. Can you let me up now," Yamato said from underneath her.  
  
Looking down, she flushed and removed her foot from his chest. He rolled to his feet and began donning his clothes. She observed him as he dressed. He looked exactly as he would have if he'd lived to see twenty- four. They had built this body for him and it was exactly like his old one. He hadn't been an especially muscular man but rather had had a wiry build that belied his strength. Of course that had been when he was sixteen. It seemed they had transferred that characteristic into his current body. He was muscular but less so then Tai or even Daisuke. That thought brought her to wondering how the rest of the Chosen were going to react to his return. Hell, she didn't even know what to think yet. Shaking herself, she turned to her own clothes. They were still damp but a quick bit of matter manipulation changed that. Dressing quickly, she turned to see him studying her. It seemed that this was going to be very awkward. She hated awkward and besides what did one say to her dead ex- boyfriend who'd just come back from the grave?  
  
He smiled suddenly, her smile. "So, how've you been?"  
  
"Don't..." Her words caught in her throat. She took a deep breath. "Just don't."  
  
He looked sad for an instant but then a familiar mask slid over his face. That was painful in its own way. She remembered that mask from so long ago.  
  
"They told me that you had my crest." His voice was soft, controlled. "Do you have it with you?"  
  
Sora took off the locket around her neck. His eyes followed the locket but didn't seem to register its importance. Opening the locket, she removed a small runic carving shaped into the Crest of Friendship.  
  
"Don't you think that's a little too 'out in the open' for an object of such importance." Yamato remarked.  
  
Sora shrugged, looking up at him. "I can keep an eye on it this way. Nobody will ever suspect it being out in the open."  
  
"A simple reason but I guess those work best sometimes." Yamato held out his hand. "Give it to me, please."  
  
Sora stepped forward and grabbed his arm, pressing the Crest into his wrist. There was a small jolt of current running through his body and suddenly he felt energized, refreshed. Blinking, he looked at her. She smiled back although it looked a little forced, and opened her mouth to speak.  
  
An explosion suddenly rocked the cave. Her shield was instantly around them, blocking the falling debris.  
  
"They've discovered us," Gabumon spoke, voicing the obvious.  
  
"It's time we did our thing then," Yamato muttered. By the time he'd finished talking, Gabumon had already begun to break up into data. Moments later the two were bio-merged.  
  
"I'll go out there and distract them. You....." he paused as he saw Sora begin to concentrate. The air suddenly seemed to swirl together, rocks lifting off the grounds and joining it. Yamato watched the tableau in fascination; something seemed to be taking shape in the midst of the air. Minutes later, a cheap construct of Sora, complete with all her clothing stood in the place where the air and the rocks had come together.  
  
"It's the best I can do under the circumstances." Sora apologized. "Take that with you and they'll think I'm with you also. It should allow me to get out of here."  
  
"You know the terrain?"  
  
"There isn't an inch of this continent, I don't know and I saw plenty before my craft crashed." There was another blast and more debris rained down on them. "Now get going. I'll contact you using my powers if I get into trouble or when this is over."  
  
Nodding, Yamato ran out of the cave, cradling the construct of Sora in his arms. Immediately, blasts rang out around him as the various Digimon gathered around the cave began throwing blasts of energy his way. He ducked and weaved as best he could, making his way towards where the concentration of enemies was thinnest. As he ran, he began his transformation. Thick fur burst out on his arms and legs, his hands and feet extended into claws and his speed increased exponentially. Letting out a howl, he rushed the five or so Digimon that rushed forward to meet his charge. He sliced through them like a hot knife through butter, sending out random blasts of his Elemental Powers at other Digimon that were still far away. He needed to draw all of them away from the cave.  
  
It seemed to work as nearly every Digimon around the cave gave chase. He was a little astonished at their numbers. This was quite a force. However, it would not stop him. He gave another howl and firing off a final burst of ice at the remaining Digimon, ran off into the hilly country surrounding the cave.  
  
___________________________________  
  
"Oh come on," Takeru groaned looking at the cards in Hikari's hands. "I can't believe you keep winning. You've rigged this deck somehow."  
  
Across from him Hikari raised an eyebrow. "Maybe you're just a really bad poker player. Try to at least keep a straight face. You always do this thing with your face when you think you're going to win."  
  
"What thing?" Takeru said indignantly. "I've got a killer poker face. You can't tell anything I'm plotting."  
  
"Sure," Hikari said rolling her eyes. She stretched in her seat. "We should almost be there."  
  
"Can I fly it for the rest of the way?"  
  
Hikari raised an eyebrow, smirking at him. "Still can't figure out how to turn the autopilot off," she taunted.  
  
"This was not part of our deal," Takeru complained. "You were supposed to let me pilot the thing the whole way."  
  
"No, I only agreed to let you pilot the craft. I didn't say how long. You had your fun by nearly crashing the thing. And I still get my rematch."  
  
Takeru opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by a loud beeping sound. He looked back over his shoulder at the blinking dashboard. "What's that?"  
  
"We're here," Hikari said getting up from her seat and walking up beside him. "Now, get out of the seat."  
  
Wordlessly, Takeru abandoned his seat and moved back to the one Hikari had been sitting in. Hikari took the main seat as Takeru vacated it and thumbed a few switches.  
  
"This is Alpha Two, reporting in." There was a burst of static from the comm. and then a familiar voice responded.  
  
"Why are you flying that old model? Didn't you get my new design specs last year?"  
  
"I needed the extra space Koushirou. You got the prophecies, you've probably already figured out why even if you haven't managed to drag it out of Iori. By the way, has he arrived?"  
  
"Yeah, last night. He mentioned that you would be lagging behind. There's a little side bet going here concerning what was keeping you since this is the first time Yagami, Hikari has ever been late to a meeting. Oh, and hello Takeru, if you're in there."  
  
"Uh, hello," Takeru responded hesitantly. If Koushirou knew he was here then so would Jyou. It would actually make things a little easier.  
  
"Is everybody there?" Hikari questioned.  
  
"Everybody except Sora. There was some trouble apparently. She decided to stay behind a while. Miyako arrived two days ago with the news."  
  
"All right, now that we're all caught up. Open the bay."  
  
"It's open." The reply came back.  
  
Takeru's eyes widened as Hikari seemingly flew the aircraft straight towards a mountain located on a small island. "Hey, watch it," he warned. She ignored him and continued towards the mountain. Takeru sighed and leaned back in his seat. They came closer and closer and then suddenly the rock face was gone and they were inside the mountain. It was a hangar bay, Takeru realized as the craft they were in made its way to a landing spot.  
  
"Are you ready?" Hikari asked, rising to her feet and facing him.  
  
Takeru took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Not really," he admitted.  
  
"Relax, it's going to be fine." She gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze and moved to a side hatch that led outside. Sighing, Takeru followed along behind her. The hatch opened, and a ramp extended to the floor of the hangar bay. Walking down the ramp, Hikari made her way to a door set at the end of the room. Takeru trailed behind her, observing his surroundings.  
  
The hangar had not been shaped using the matter manipulation technique. He was almost sure of that. If it had, there would be no need for the steel or metal beams that bore the weight of the mountain, preventing a collapse. Both sides of the hangar were lined with aircraft.  
  
"How did you find this?" Takeru asked as Hikari entered an access code into a keypad located beside the hangar's exit door.  
  
"We ran across it when we first established an outpost on this island." Hikari replied distractedly. "There was nothing of any true value here but the base was ideal for covert meetings."  
  
With a soft hiss, the door slid open and they walked into what appeared to be a large hallway whose sides and ceiling were made of glass. Takeru looked through the glass and his eyes widened. The mountain was completely hollow. From his vantage point, which seemed to be the highest point of the mountain, he could see a twisted warren of passages and hallways. There were large squares and rectangles too which he assumed to be rooms or judging by the size of one, an entire apartment complex.  
  
"You can sightsee later," Hikari called out from the end of the hallway. "They'll begin to wonder what is keeping us if we don't hurry."  
  
Takeru nodded, turning away from the window. As he was turning away he noticed a security camera set up in the corner of the hallway. Waving towards it, he walked up to Hikari. She lead him through several hallways, all of which he observed were monitored.  
  
"Would you stop that," Hikari snapped finally after he had waved to his fifth camera. "You're probably getting on the nerves of whoever's on the other end."  
  
Takeru chuckled. "Wanna give them a show," he said waggling his eyebrows.  
  
Hikari snorted in amusement, unable to help herself. "Maybe some other time," she said just as the door in front of her pinged and slid open.  
  
"You've got elevators?" Takeru asked walking up behind her.  
  
"Yeah, this is a huge place as you saw from the hangar hallway. Without these elevators, traversing this place would be a difficulty."  
  
Takeru nodded, following Hikari into the elevator. The rest of the trip was conducted in silence as he sank into his thoughts. How would the others react to his arrival? If the old days were any indicator, he'd get the usual collection of stares and then everybody would go back to their own business. He would be left alone, his opinion asked for when it was convenient. It wasn't a bad deal, all things considered. The old Takeru had lived with it but the old Takeru had also not cared. He couldn't say that about himself anymore. He had to do this, if not for himself then for Hikari.  
  
The elevator's descent stopped and the doors slid open. In no time at all, they were standing before two very large doors inlaid with a decorative pattern depicting the nine Crests of the Digital World.  
  
"We have no clue what this means." Hikari said in response to his questioning look. "Are you ready?"  
  
Takeru smiled sadly. "No, but go ahead anyway."  
  
Wordlessly, Hikari took his hand in hers and then stepped forward and pressed her palm against the Crest of Light. The symbol glowed briefly and then the door swung open. The room she led him into was large, its walls ringed by computer monitors. There was a large round table in the middle of the room on which was engraved a map of the Digital World. Around the table were the rest of the Chosen minus Sora. He looked at them all, gauging their reactions. He could see that he had been right before in thinking that Jyou had known of his return. The man didn't look especially surprised. He, Iori and Koushirou were the only ones though. The rest of the reactions were mixed. Miyako and Mimi had immediately noticed that Hikari was gripping his hand and had identical smiles on their faces. This contrasted well with the frown on the faces of Tai, Ken and Daisuke.  
  
Takeru raised his hand awkwardly. "Hello everybody."  
  
__________________________________  
  
Sora crouched under the tree, waiting. She stood at the edge of a thick forest. Around her were trees in late bloom, their leaves wilting and shedding in droves. Thankfully, there was still some cover to be had here. It appeared as if Yamato's gambit had worked. She had not been pursued and had found the forest easily enough. Now she waited for Yamato, having sent him a mental signal some time ago. She stiffened suddenly as she heard a branch crack nearby. Spreading her mental senses, she relaxed. Yamato had arrived. There was another deliberate crack and then he bounded into view.  
  
Morphing back to his human form, he straightened. "I managed to lose most of them in the mountains but there are still a few behind me. I hope you know this forest well."  
  
Sora nodded. "Yeah, I know the way through. The forest runs the width of this entire continent but if we travel southwest, we'll get to the outpost of Seona. We can be there in half a day or so if we ride Garurumon."  
  
"Lead on then," Yamato said looking at the setting sun overhead. "We should have enough light for the next half hour."  
  
Sora turned, leading them into the woods. They walked in silence as both were exhausted. Twenty minutes later, they stopped to make camp. The place wasn't exactly ideal but it covered them from above and provided reasonable assurance that nobody would be able to sneak up on them.  
  
Leaning against a tree Yamato, de-merged from Garurumon. The giant wolf digimon sank down beside him and leaned down, resting against its great body. Sora lay down on the other side. They could not light a fire for fear of being discovered so the wolf's thick fur was the only reasonable way to stay warm this night. All three lay in silence, locked in their thoughts.  
  
"Hey Yamato," Sora called out suddenly, "what happened to Takeru?"  
  
"He returned here a little before I did." Yamato answered softly. "By now, he should already have met Hikari and Iori."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"I... I want to thank you for looking out for him." Yamato said quietly, his voice barely above that of a whisper.  
  
"I didn't do such a good job, all things considered." Sora said bitterly. "He changed so much. You should really thank Hikari. She never stopped trying."  
  
"Neither of you stopped trying and in his case, that required the patience of a saint most times. You shouldn't blame yourself for what happened to him."  
  
"Did Hikari know about you?" The question was sudden, leaving him a little off balance.  
  
"Yes," Yamato admitted after a moment of silence. "I had to reveal myself to her. It was the only way to save Takeru." He squinted over Garurumon trying to make out her face in the gloom. "How much did you see in Gabumon's mind?"  
  
"Not much, I just saw the general story about what happened to you. How the Guardians put you in Takeru's mind and then these... Elders took you out and put you in a body they had constructed."  
  
"How did you think to ask about Hikari?" Yamato questioned, a little puzzled.  
  
"It was how she looked at me when she came back from talking to Takeru that one final time. I always wondered about that. She doesn't usually wear her emotions so plainly. It was gone in a flash but I saw enough to wonder. It wasn't up till now that I managed to place the look."  
  
Yamato sighed. "I wanted to talk to you but..."  
  
"You were forbidden. I know." Sora smiled sadly although he couldn't see it. "It's just as well that you didn't. I... I've moved on Yamato."  
  
"I know," Yamato said softly. "I saw the ring on your finger but I didn't want to talk to you in that fashion. I just want you to be happy and I doubt you could be that with me."  
  
"What do you mean?" Sora asked, confused.  
  
Yamato peered over Garurumon again wishing he could see her face. "I've changed, Sora. I barely remember most of the other Chosen. All I have are names and faces and even those memories feel artificial somehow. Most of what I know, I learned while I was in Takeru's mind."  
  
"What do you remember about us? You obviously remember our first date."  
  
"Actually, I don't." Yamato admitted sheepishly. "I just remembered the day's date and that it was important somehow. How was it though, our first date, I mean."  
  
"Don't put me through this Yama," Sora said sadly.  
  
"I... I'm sorry. It's just that there's so much I don't know. So much that's missing."  
  
"Do you really want to know about us though?"  
  
"I don't know. I suppose I do, mostly because I remember feeling strongly about you. I mean I remember you as fondly as I remember my own brother. There's just so much I want to know but if you don't feel comfortable, you don't have to."  
  
"It's just..." Sora snuggled deeper against Garurumon. "I just don't feel comfortable about all this. You're right, we did feel very strongly about each other but I moved on. Do you know who gave me this ring?" She asked suddenly.  
  
"Taichi," Yamato said sighing. "I always thought you would end up with him someday. It's why I never made my own feelings for you clear at the beginning." He chuckled suddenly. "Did you know how much of a shock it was when you came to me that day at the concert."  
  
"Yeah, I could see it in your face," Sora said wistfully. "I chose you because I fell in love with you Yamato. I'd always considered Tai to be like the brother I never had. It came as a shock to me that he had feelings for me. Did you know that he asked me out right before I came to see you."  
  
"I might have but I don't remember anymore."  
  
"I let him down easily but I could always see the pain in his eyes. After you were murdered, he was always there for me and it's so silly, but I fell in love with him."  
  
"Why would it be silly? You two were as predictable a match as Takeru and Hikari."  
  
"Nothing about love is predictable Yama. I know because I am the bearer of that crest after all." Sora paused, thinking of what to say. "I told you that I always thought of Tai as a brother. I had to get over all these feelings for him before I allowed myself to think of him as boyfriend material. Hikari never had that problem with Takeru. She had a brother, she didn't need another one. I'm simplifying the situation a bit but even their relationship, as deep as it was, was in doubt because of that last fight they had. He could have lost her for good if Daisuke had been a little bit more motivated and little bit less concerned with Hikari's feelings."  
  
"You haven't changed much from what I remember." Yamato said wryly. "Still the wisest one among us."  
  
"I would have thought that title would go to Jyou."  
  
"Would it? I don't remember."  
  
Sora sighed then suddenly sat up looking over Garurumon's midsection. "Hey, are you making fun of yourself?"  
  
Yamato's chuckle was her only answer. Grinning, she settled back against the giant wolf and closed her eyes. She was almost asleep when a faint presence touched her mind. It seemed that Tai had gotten worried about her.  
  
'Yes Hikari, I'm here,' Sora thought inwardly, using her own powers to hold onto the weak connection. There was a vague feeling, as if of relief and then another mental image. 'I'm fine for the moment but I was ambushed. I'm proceeding to Seona. Tell Tai that I will be at the summit tomorrow. And I have a surprise for you all.' There was a faint hint of curiosity but then the connection slowly faded. It wasn't much of a surprise to her. Holding connections over such great distances was hard even for someone as strong as Hikari. At best, they could only get one or two sentences out before the connection terminated.  
  
Closing her eyes, Sora tried to go back to sleep. Morning arrived too soon in her opinion. It seemed that she had only just closed her eyes when she was forced to open them again. Yawning tiredly, she checked the sky overhead and found that it was overcast. They could expect rain sometime later today. She looked over at Yamato and found him already awake and munching on what looked to be dry rations. He glanced towards her and she raised an eyebrow questioningly.  
  
"I stocked up on supplies before I was sent here." He said pulling out another packet of rations from his coat pocket and tossing it to her.  
  
Sora snagged the packet out of the air and opened it. It was mostly just dried fruit and nuts. Sighing, she tore into it and finished the meal quickly. By the time she was done Garurumon had stirred awake as well. Climbing onto the back of the giant wolf, Sora instructed him about which path to take that would get them to Seona. After she was finished, Garurumon leapt forward in a trot, deftly avoiding the trees of the forest.  
  
They reached the outpost by midday. It seemed like someone had taken a crown and stuck it into the earth. There were sentries lining the battlements at the top, some even standing in the crenellations. The main gate itself was a high wooden drawbridge with a portcullis right behind it. The whole effect was rather Victorian.  
  
Yamato stared at it bemusedly. "A Medieval Castle?" He turned his head back towards Sora. "And is that a moat surrounding it?"  
  
"The Chief guy in charge here is named Tom Himi." Sora replied. "He's got some weird ideas but is a capable enough leader. The whole castle thing was his idea. Miyako had to construct it using plans he gave her. Still, they do have modern plumbing and the whole effect is charming in a rugged sort of way."  
  
Yamato grunted turning back to look at the castle. As they neared it, the sentries up top began scrambling and moments later there were a sizable number of them lining the crenellations. Garurumon came to a halt right at the edge of the moat, facing the main entrance to the castle.  
  
Sora stood up on Garurumon's back, grabbing Yamato's shoulders to keep her balance. "I want to speak to Tom Himi." She said formally. "Tell him it's Sora Takenouchi."  
  
Her name seemed to cause a bigger stir among the sentries up top. There was a shuffle up top and then a short, stocky man was standing atop one of the castle's merlons. He squinted down at them then ran a hand through his chestnut colored hair.  
  
"We've had a lot of attacks by Bakemon recently." He yelled down. "You're going to have to prove that you are who you say you are."  
  
"Toss down a knife," Sora called up. "I can prove that both of us are humans."  
  
In response, the leader of the fort, retreated and moments later a drawbridge came down over the moat. Behind the drawbridge, the portcullis swung upwards, opening. Five guards exited in all, each wearing brown and gray robes and waving what looked to be a blaster type attachment on their arms, at them. Right behind them came the man they had just conversed with.  
  
Sora jumped down from Garurumon's back and motioned for Yamato to do the same. They exchanged a quick glance and then Yamato told Garurmon to assume a less threatening form. He responded swiftly and de-evolved to Gabumon. The act seemed to reassure the leader of the group who came forward and presented Sora with a small ornate dagger. Taking it, she swiped it swiftly across the palm of her hand and then passed it to Yamato. He repeated the motion. After they had proved they weren't Bakemon, they were supplied with bandages by one of the soldiers.  
  
"I'm sorry, Lady Sora," Tom apologized. "We've suffered a high number of Bakemon attacks recently and have grown weary. They can disguise themselves completely as humans and even our digimon can't sniff them out." He looked at her strangely. "And I got word yesterday that you were on your way to the summit."  
  
"I was attacked a little ways north of here by a relatively small army of Digimon," Sora explained. "Which leads me to wonder how they got past you and evaded the scouts we sent from Flaim."  
  
"They must have some new way of cloaking themselves. Lord Koushirou's devices picked up nothing. If it wasn't for Farez, we would still be in the dark."  
  
"I'll need two of your courier aircrafts," Sora said, cutting through the preamble. "The others need to know about this and you should intensify patrols around the castle. We encountered nobody when coming in."  
  
"That may be a problem," Tom replied. "We only have two courier crafts at this fort. One of them was used to send you the reports concerning what your second group of scouts found. The other one had a malfunction earlier today. Our tech guys are still trying to get to the bottom of it."  
  
Sora frowned. "How long till it's fixed?" She queried.  
  
"It shouldn't take more then a day. You can stay in our guest rooms until the work is done."  
  
Sora nodded. "Very well." She glanced towards Yamato who stood surveying the castle. "I'll contact Hikari and Mimi when we're settled in and let them know that I am safe and on my way to the summit."  
  
Yamato grunted distractedly and went back to looking at something atop the castle. Sora turned back towards Tom and motioned him to lead them inside. However he seemed to be looking at Yamato and then followed his gaze. Sora frowned, looking up as well. There seemed to be nothing wrong from what she could see. All she saw was a sentry high atop the wall.  
  
"Shall we?" Tom asked, his voice breaking through whatever Yamato was thinking.  
  
"Of course," Yamato said blinking at Tom. "Lead on as the Lady said."  
  
Tom turned towards the drawbridge, the soldiers behind him shuffling aside expertly and making room for him and the two guests. Crossing the portcullis, they entered a large courtyard and walked to the entrance of the castle. The two large doors which signified the entrance, swung open at a touch and they entered a large hall with wooden seating and an altar at the end. There was even a stained glass window high above the altar, depicting an image of a mass of people bowing before a black robed figure.  
  
"A church?" Yamato said bemusedly.  
  
"Yes," Tommy replied. "We have many men of faith here. I felt it was wise to give them some sort of release and provide nourishment for their faith."  
  
"And are you one such man?" Yamato asked raising his eyebrow.  
  
"Perhaps," Tom said. "One cannot live among such trappings and expect to escape faith for long."  
  
"Perhaps," Yamato drawled, "if one is weak willed."  
  
That seemed to stiffen the man's back. He led them silently to the back of the church and to a stair way set to the left of the altar. Traveling down the stairs, they came upon a small hallway. Tom led them quietly to a side door and opened it for them. Yamato entered first, studying his surroundings. There was a fireplace, a single four-poster bed and various furs carpeting the floor. Several of the thicker ones were sitting in front of the fireplace, at the foot of a large wooden chair, straight out of medieval times.  
  
"How... rustic." Yamato remarked smirking.  
  
"Enjoy your stay," Tom said stiffly, turning around and leaving the room. The door slammed behind him.  
  
"He has a quick temper." Yamato spoke turning towards Sora.  
  
"What was that all about?" She asked looking at him strangely. "Why did you get his back up like that?"  
  
Yamato walked towards the chair and sat down. Gabumon moved in and sat at his feet. "There's something wrong with this place, Sora. It makes me uneasy. Outside, I chanced to look up and saw that sentry's arm bending in a most unnatural way. I think you better contact the others as soon as you can."  
  
"This is crazy, Yama. If anything that bad had happened here, I would have heard about it."  
  
Yamato turned to face her. "This is a frontier post, isn't it? I saw a map before the Elders sent me here. This outpost is right at the edge of the Undersea Master's territory. As good as your precautions are, there are bound to be slip-ups. Especially if they take the leader first."  
  
This seemed to disconcert her a bit. "Are you sure?"  
  
"At this point, no. I'm going on hunch alone and I didn't get that good a look. However, the way you were ambushed has me thinking, and isn't it a big coincidence that their only aircraft suffers a breakdown. Whoever ambushed you had to know that this would be your first stop if their initial plans failed."  
  
Sora frowned, her brow creasing. "I could scan the castle and its inhabitants but my powers would be taxed. I won't be able to contact the others if that happens."  
  
"You contacted Tai before you left?"  
  
"Yes," Sora replied. "I had to let them know that I was on my way and last night Hikari contacted me to ensure that I was safe."  
  
"I think that you should contact them now and let them know that you're safe... or not." Yamato chuckled humorlessly. "Show them where we are and tell them to get over here as soon as they can."  
  
Sora nodded and closed her eyes sending her thoughts out into the void of thoughtscape. Her mind raced and ran into a resistance as she began to travel in the direction of the summit. She probed at the wall that had sprung up before her, traveling its length and breadth and determined that it surrounded the outpost of Seona. There was no getting past it unless her physical self left its confinement and she knew that would not be allowed if Yamato's suspicions were correct. Sighing, she broke the connection and returned to her mind.  
  
Yamato looked up as her eyes fluttered open. "Well," he asked.  
  
Sora shook her head. "You seem to have been right. This place has a barrier around it that I can't get past."  
  
"What do we do now?" Gabumon remarked from his place on the floor.  
  
Sora rose to her feet, walked towards the door and opened it. As she had been expecting, there were two sentries on guard outside. She tried to leave and they barred her way. "We have orders not to let you leave, Lady Sora." One of the guards said to her before pushing her inside and closing the door.  
  
"That seems fairly bad behavior to exhibit towards the ruler of this Continent." Yamato said with a faint hint of sarcasm.  
  
"We had to make some compromises when we first came here." Sora explained. "For a Continent of this size, we needed adequate facilitators. There were already quite a few people that had established themselves as leaders. We needed to make compromises and one of them had to do with how the outposts would be governed. While here, I have no real authority with the guards. Tom's orders supercede my own."  
  
Gabumon rose to his feet. "We could try fighting our way out."  
  
Sora shook her head. "I want to use that option as a last resort. We don't know just how many of these are actual humans and how many are Bakemon."  
  
"None of which helps us." Yamato said rising to his feet as well. "Face it Sora, we have little to no choice here. For all we know, the whole base could be Bakemon and they could be waiting for reinforcements to arrive. I say we strike now while we still have the advantage of surprise."  
  
"There is another way," Sora said quickly. She walked over to a far wall and began running her hands over it. "When us Chosen made these outposts, we decided to put in certain precautions in case we ever needed a quick escape. It was Tai's idea mostly and it came about because he didn't trust the sort of people we had to make compromises with. I'm glad he thought it up now." Her hand came into contact with one loose brick and there was faint glow from her heart. The brick responded to the glow and a small section of the wall slid back allowing an opening a person could step into. "There are secret tunnels that run throughout each one of our outposts. Opening them is dependant upon our crests so the risk of discovery is fairly slim." She walked into the opening. "Come along."  
  
Yamato and Gabumon stared at each other before following Sora into the tunnel. The wall slid shut behind them.  
  
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Alright, click that review button and tell me how awesome I am. ;)  
  
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Next: Sora and Yamato find out just exactly what happened at the Seona Outpost and have to make a hard choice. 


	3. Chapter Three

The Final Battle  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own it.... the it being Digimon of course.  
  
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A/N: I want to thank DarkLight for sending me that extended review. Hopefully, you'll like the surprises I have in store for the future. In my e-mail, I know I said Chapter Four would shock you but I'm going to have to make that Chapter Five now. Although the slightly limey scene in Chapter Four may very well shock you too. ;)  
  
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"Check mate," Jyou said as he moved his Queen to take advantage of a particularly weak point in Koushirou's defense.  
  
Sighing, Koushirou tipped the King piece in surrender.  
  
"Is something wrong?" Jyou asked. "You look like something is on your mind. Usually, I have to work for these victories."  
  
The two Chosen sat in Jyou's quarters, playing a game of chess. It had become a nightly ritual for them ever since they had started administering the City of Alecrast and its surrounding outposts on the Continent of Sol. Every night, if time allowed, they sat together and discussed various political and military aspect of their duties over a game of chess.  
  
"It's nothing really." Koushirou responded. "I was just thinking about the Prophecy."  
  
"Again?" Jyou said exasperated. "You need to learn how to relax."  
  
"That's funny coming from someone that was unable to think about anything but studying for the latest exam."  
  
"Touché," Jyou muttered. "Anyways, it's out of your hands for the moment. Just let it go for now."  
  
Koushirou sighed. "You're right, of course, but I can't help it. We've needed an edge for so long and this is it. Ironic, that it came from Takeru of all people. He's gone so long and when he comes back he manages to hand us the one thing we could really use." Koushirou paused. "Did you notice anything different about him?"  
  
Jyou grunted in amusement. "You mean the way he was latched onto Hikari or vice versa. Yes, I think I did notice that."  
  
"No, I mean how hesitant he was. That's a great deal different then how arrogantly he used to act."  
  
Jyou pushed up his glasses. "Hikari has a lot to do with it I guess. I think she finally sapped all the fight out of him." Yawning, he stretched and suddenly the door to his quarters beeped. "Come in," he mumbled in between yawns.  
  
The door slid aside and a brown haired girl walked into the room as if she owned it. "Don't you two ever sleep?" She asked, collapsing on the small sofa that was set in front of the chess table the two young men were seated at.  
  
Jyou and Koushirou exchanged amused glanced. "And a hello to you too." Jyou replied smiling. "To what do I owe this extremely rare visit?"  
  
"Can't a girl just visit her friends?"  
  
"A girl can," Koushirou said with a mock frown. "I'm not too sure whether this girl can. What's the matter, feeling bored Mimi?"  
  
Mimi looked up, her expression earnest. "I spoke true, Kou. Being stuck on a continent with Tai isn't exactly my idea of fun. I just wanted to visit with some old friends who I haven't seen in a long time."  
  
Koushirou looked at her strangely, then grinned. "You almost had me there."  
  
Mimi sniffed. "Yeah, I did."  
  
Jyou burst out into laughter. "So, why exactly are you darkening my doorway?"  
  
"Darkening your doorway? Nonsense, the room practically lit up when I walked in."  
  
"Well, as far as comedy goes, I guess we're covered for the night." Koushirou snickered.  
  
"Oh, bite your tongue techno geek."  
  
"That's a new one. You must have spent the past six months coming up with it."  
  
"No wonder Tai seemed so upset." Jyou said, jumping into the fray.  
  
Mimi pouted. "Hey, no fair tag teaming, you two."  
  
"Well, are we finally going to get an answer?" Jyou responded.  
  
"Alright already," Mimi sighed, slumping back into her seat. "You two take all the fun out of things."  
  
"Hey, don't look at me." Koushirou replied, grinning. "Jyou's too uptight about these things."  
  
"Yeah, thanks for that," Jyou said rolling his eyes. He turned back to Mimi. "Well?"  
  
"I was bored and well, I came to gossip." Mimi yawned, stretching out her lithe frame on the sofa and getting as comfortable as she could. "Miyako went with Ken, god knows where, and Tai elected to stay in the War room, Hikari and Iori are with him. Daisuke's off in the gym practicing and Takeru went with him, astonishingly enough. I think they're going to bond while trying to beat the stuffing out of each other. I feel so sorry for Daisuke. By the way, what did you guys think of that apology?"  
  
"We were talking about that," Koushirou said, leaning back in his chair. "He seemed hesitant which is out of character for him. Jyou thinks it's because of Hikari."  
  
"Probably," Mimi responded thoughtfully. "A person like him has to value control over every aspect of his life and now, he's stumbling around blind because he's in a situation he can't control. I wonder how Hikari got him to open up. Anyway, she should have let him know that it wasn't necessary. We're all one big happy family here."  
  
"I think he needed to say it, if only to clear his conscience," Jyou spoke, fiddling around with some chess pieces.  
  
Mimi shrugged. "Yeah, I suppose." Then, switching thoughts, she said, "You know, he looks a lot like how I imagined Yamato to be when he turned twenty one. He's turned into quite a hottie."  
  
"Cradle Robber," Koushirou said grinning.  
  
Jyou looked at him reprovingly.  
  
"All right, I'll stop," he said, raising his hands. "And stop grinning," he shot in Mimi's general direction.  
  
The girl in question was smirking at Koushirou. "That'll teach you," she responded haughtily.  
  
Before Koushirou could come up with a come back, Jyou quickly interjected into the conversation. "Children, please. You're both giving me a headache."  
  
Mimi and Koushirou exchanged glances then turned towards Jyou as one and said, "Yes father."  
  
Jyou groaned, burying his head in his hands. Mimi and Koushirou laughed at the gesture. As much as the two enjoyed teasing each other, they loved picking on Jyou more. Before he could respond though, the door beeped again.  
  
Sighing Jyou looked at the door. "Come in."  
  
The door slid aside revealing the familiar figures of Ken Ichijouji and Miyako Inoue. "Hey everybody," Miyako greeted, while dragging a reluctant looking Ken into the room behind her. "Are you gossiping?"  
  
"Hey Miyako," Mimi said, raising a hand in greeting and sitting up on the small sofa. "Yeah, we were trying to take our mind off our rather drab lives and discussing the more drama like aspects of our friends' lives."  
  
Miyako grinned, and pushed Ken towards Jyou and Koushirou who had already pulled a chair out for him. She sat down beside Mimi and within moments the two had launched into their usual conversation, words flying faster then anybody else could decipher. Shaking his head in amusement, Ken took a seat at Jyou and Koushirou's table.  
  
"So," he said studying the chessboard. "Who do I have to beat?"  
  
"Me," Jyou responded organizing the pieces. "Koushirou there has been stinking it up tonight."  
  
Ken smirked, organizing the pieces on his own side. "Wants to get back to work on the prophecy, huh. I figured that much. The boy is predictable."  
  
Koushirou sniffed, a decidedly Mimi like sniff. "I'll let this verbal abuse of myself slide for now." He turned towards Ken. "Now then, is Tai still in the war room."  
  
"He was last time I checked which was a while ago. I don't think he would have left though. He's suffering from Sora withdrawal as Miyako calls it."  
  
Both Jyou and Koushirou choked on that then burst out laughing.  
  
The door beeped yet again. Jyou stared at it in annoyance. "Is somebody handing flyers out there," he asked no one in particular.  
  
Koushirou chuckled. "Knowing our luck, probably."  
  
The door beeped again.  
  
"Come in," Jyou said, raising his voice a bit.  
  
The door slid aside and Iori walked into the room. He paused, raising an eyebrow at the girls chatting away at the couch. When it became apparent that they weren't going to address him, he walked over to the other guys. "Hey," he said by way of greeting before slumping in an empty chair and closing his eyes.  
  
"So, how's Tai?" Koushirou questioned. "Approachable yet."  
  
Iori opened one eye. "No, he's still driving himself crazy over Sora. She was supposed to have checked in by now. Hikari's trying to get him to stay calm and lending her own powers to the search. Tai's even sent a pilot or two along the way to see what's wrong."  
  
"What do you think?" Ken asked, lining up his pawns. "Is it much of a cause for concern?"  
  
"If she isn't here by tomorrow morning, I'd say yes." Iori replied thoughtfully. "In any case, this situation only reveals a flaw in our communications. If anything were to happen to Sora, Hikari and Mimi, the rest of us would be unable to contact each other. And even with the three, it isn't exactly a fine art."  
  
"What can we do though?" Koushirou questioned. "Having radio or even satellite signals flying all over a world composed of data, isn't the most secure way of doing things. Even our D3's aren't completely safe anymore. Things were so much easier back in the old days."  
  
Jyou sighed. "All right guys, enough with the shop talk. We can save that for the War Table. Let's just take this time to relax. I suspect by morning time we'll have news that we may not like."  
  
The other guys grunted at that but didn't offer up any rejoinders. It had become hard finding time with old friends over the last couple of years and any opportunity for such a reunion was not going to be passed up by any of them. The rest of the night was spent in lighthearted talk.  
  
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Takeru whirled the Bo, swinging it up and under Daisuke's sword, knocking it to the side. Before he could follow up though, Daisuke swiped the sword in his left hand at Takeru's head. Bringing the end of the staff up to his shoulder, Takeru blocked the swipe and the two deadlocked. Neither could move their weapons since the other would take advantage quickly. Daisuke's leg suddenly swept up and Takeru raised his knee, blocking the kick aimed his way. The two exchanged blows until suddenly, Daisuke let go of both swords and lunged forward heedlessly at Takeru. The move surprised Takeru and he dropped his guard momentarily. It was enough for Daisuke to get in his fair share of free hits, sending Takeru to the floor. As he was about to get up, Daisuke appeared above him, his sword in hand, the point poised under Takeru's chin. Slowly, Takeru raised both hands signaling his surrender.  
  
"Hah," Daisuke breathed, dropping his sword. "I can't believe after twelve tries, I finally beat you."  
  
Takeru winced, rubbing his chest where Daisuke had palmed him. "You'll forgive me if I'm a little less jubilant." He muttered, getting to his feet.  
  
"Is something wrong?" Daisuke asked turning to pick up his other sword. "You seem distracted. I usually had to work twice as hard to get past your guard."  
  
Takeru grunted noncommittally, picking up his Bo and twirling it a bit. Daisuke grabbed his second sword and sank to his feet, Indian style, watching patiently. He knew that Takeru would talk to him on his own time and rushing him would only cause him to bottle up what he wanted to talk about. He was so much like Hikari in this way.  
  
The Bo in Takeru's hand suddenly whirled out of his control, clattering to the ground. Sighing, Takeru stared down at it. "You know," he began softly, "that keeps happening for some reason. I can't seem to focus."  
  
"She's affected you that badly?" Daisuke questioned.  
  
"Yeah," Takeru chuckled. "My skills seem to be deteriorating before my eyes and I know I'll need them for the long battle ahead."  
  
"Yet you don't want to go back to what you were before."  
  
Takeru stared at him. "Yeah, that's the problem, isn't it? It almost seems like there are two personalities inside me."  
  
Daisuke snorted. "If only it were that simple. You're in love, my friend. That messes you up in more ways then one."  
  
"It's funny, isn't it? I've faced down evil Digimon, Renegade Guardians and some of the dirtiest beings in Earth's Underworld but this, this I quail at."  
  
"Ah, it'll all work out in the end," Daisuke said waving his hand in dismissal. "Besides, it's not like you can't talk to her about it." He suddenly grinned. "So, tell me, is she as rough as she used to be."  
  
Takeru laughed. "You haven't lost your lack of subtlety but yeah, if anything, I can't see how she could be any rougher. We were up almost the whole night and at the end I felt nearly beaten to death."  
  
Daisuke's mouth dropped open. "That's impossible. Nobody lasts one whole night."  
  
Takeru looked at him strangely. "You mean you can't go for eight hours straight."  
  
Daisuke nearly choked then scowled when he saw Takeru struggling to keep his grin in check. "You Bastard."  
  
Takeru smirked. "If it's any consolation, I had to use my powers."  
  
"That is so unfair. All I get is some minor ability to affect matter and you get powers that turn you into some sex god. Not to mention you can heal yourself which, knowing Hikari, is a blessing."  
  
"She's going to kill us if she finds out we've been talking about this."  
  
"Which means you are probably going to end up telling her anyway, just to try and tweak her nose. I never understood that particular, 'flirting with death,' trait of yours."  
  
Takeru shrugged. "What's life without something to spice it up? Besides, she looks cute when she's huffing and puffing away."  
  
Daisuke laughed. "She is going to end up killing you one of these days. You just better not name me."  
  
Takeru moved his right foot under the fallen Bo and kicked it up into his hand. "Yeah well, you're going to have to fight for that privilege. I might be able to hold out for a few days, hopefully, but she'll get it out of me eventually. So, are you ready to make it thirteen to one?"  
  
"Oh ho, those are fighting words Ishida." Daisuke lumbered to his feet, raising his swords. "I think it's about time I made it twelve to two."  
  
Takeru twirled his staff between his fingers and assumed his stance. "Any time you're ready Motomiya."  
  
As one, the two rushed at each other.  
  
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Needing to concentrate on something, Tai turned his gaze to the enormous War Table and its carving of the Digital World. To the east was Hikari and Iori's Continent of Sever, a carving of Azulongmon the Dragon, its Protector, beside it. To the south was Miyako and Sora's Continent with its attendant Protector, Zhuqiamon the Phoenix. To the west was Daisuke and Ken's Ellum with Baihumon the Tiger engraved beside it. The North Continent of Sol belonged to Jyou and Koushirou and had the picture of Ebonwumon the Turtle beside it. At the center of the map was an anomaly, his own Continent of Aisa. Theoretically, each land had a protector in one of the four digital gods but the Island of Aisa, which was large enough to be a continent, seemingly had not had a protector. At least, it hadn't had one until they had discovered this base and this table. For on here, the Island of Aisa had a picture of a lizard, resembling nothing more then a dragon of the European variety. However, where those dragons had wings, this one had curved spikes protruding from its back. The name Huanglongmon was engraved under the picture yet none of them had heard of this particular Protector. Maybe Takeru knew something. It was surprising how much he knew of this world's lore sometimes.  
  
Tai glanced up from the engraving of Huanglongmon and looked at the only other person in the room with him. His sister Hikari was seated at the War Table, her eyes closed and brow furrowed in a familiar line of concentration. She had elected to stay behind and lend her powers in search of Sora. He loved her for that, knowing that she'd rather be with Takeru at the moment. That revelation had surprised him today, the fact that he was back and the way Hikari was holding his hand. Actually, he had to concede that the day had been full of surprises. Koushirou's revelation concerning the missing Prophecy had lightened everybody's moods considerably. For once, there was hope that they could drive back the overwhelming darkness that threatened to cripple this world. Funny, that the bearer of the Crest of that name had delivered this hope to them. He had never put much stock in the fact that their crests embodied some overwhelming trait in themselves but today, today he'd come the closest to believing it.  
  
Hikari's eyes snapped open and she blinked, massaging her temples.  
  
"Well?" Tai asked hopefully.  
  
She grinned triumphantly at him. "I managed to get a hold of her. She said she was ambushed but is fine at the moment. She's planning to go to Seona and will probably take a craft from there. If everything goes well, she'll be with us by tomorrow."  
  
"Ambushed?" Tai questioned, frowning.  
  
"I didn't get any details but she said she was safe. Anything else you'll have to ask her when she shows up here."  
  
"All right," Tai nodded, his expression softening. "Thank you. You didn't have to stay behind."  
  
Hikari waved her hand dismissively, getting to her feet. "It was nothing. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to go find a certain blonde."  
  
Tai smiled, pulling out a chair and slumping down into it. "He left with Daisuke. You better hurry up. They're likely discussing you at the moment."  
  
"They probably are," Hikari admitted, smiling ruefully. "Oh well, I'll end up getting it all out of Takeru somehow."  
  
"I've been... meaning to ask you about him," Tai spoke hesitantly. "How did you get him to come back?"  
  
"I tied him to a tree and smacked him around until he listened to reason."  
  
Tai laughed. "I don't know what's funnier, that statement or the fact that I believe it. You two always did have the strangest relationship. In any case, I'm glad you're happy."  
  
"Thank you." She eyed him critically. "You should get some rest, yourself. Sora will be fine. She's one of the toughest among us."  
  
"Yeah, I should, shouldn't I?" Tai sighed, slumping back further in his chair.  
  
Hikari rolled her eyes. "Well, are you going to do it anytime soon?"  
  
"I'll get around to it," Tai replied waving his hand at her. "Now go and find Takeru before he and Daisuke pound each other to a bloody pulp."  
  
Hikari sighed, looking at him for a few minutes before turning and leaving the room. She, above everybody else, knew how stubborn Tai could be when he wanted to dig in his heels. It had become a running joke among the other Chosen concerning the Yagami bloodline. She knew that she was more then a little stubborn herself. Koushirou had even been crazy enough to set up a pool once and tossed Daisuke's name in for good measure. She had never found out the results of that pool.  
  
As she neared the small gym, her ears perked up as she heard the clash of weapons. Pausing at the entrance, she surveyed the scene. Daisuke and Takeru were locked in a rapid exchange, Bo staff against twin swords. The weapons were a blur in their hands clashing, parrying, and then darting forward again. They seemed nothing more then extensions of their wielders. The fight was pretty ferocious and more then a bit dangerous. The two had to have a great deal of confidence in each other's skills to keep it up. It was even more amazing considering the rivalry the two had at one point. Or, she corrected herself, the one sided rivalry the two had had. Takeru had pretty much ignored it to his credit and after a while, Daisuke had mellowed out too. They had become friends but had been driven apart when Takeru had left. She remembered how angry Daisuke had been when he had learned of how Takeru had betrayed her friendship that last night at Sumeragi's citadel. It had cost Takeru a punch in a rather public café when he had returned, bearing a summons from Gennai, for her. When she had returned from that particular trial, her friendship with Takeru restored, if a bit shaky, Daisuke had broken up with her. He still loved her but it had broken him when Takeru's friendship had done more to put her in good spirits then his love. She didn't know whether he still felt the same way about her. He had become adept at hiding his emotions. For his sake, she hoped he didn't. He was one of her best friends and she didn't want to cause him any more pain.  
  
The fight came to an abrupt end as Daisuke swiped, one sword high and the other low, towards Takeru. His staff a blur, Takeru parried the first sword and moved backwards to avoid the other. It left Daisuke off balance and Takeru capitalized swinging the end of his staff quickly and stopping it a bare centimeter away from connecting with Daisuke's midsection.  
  
"Hah, twenty five to two," Takeru said grinning widely.  
  
Daisuke grunted, straightening. "Damn swing left me overbalanced. I expected you to block both."  
  
"I know," Takeru replied leaning against his staff. "You still tend to telegraph your moves and to be honest, you spend too much time on the offensive. You should spend a little more time on defense."  
  
"Ken keeps telling me the same thing." Daisuke rubbed the back of his neck. "I guess it's just in my nature."  
  
"I'll say," Hikari said stepping forward from the door. Both of them turned towards her in surprise. "I guess some things never change." She walked up to a sidewall and picked up a lone sword. "All right, I've been stuck in a room alone with Tai for nearly two hours. Who's first?"  
  
Daisuke and Takeru exchanged looks before collapsing to the floor in perfect synchronicity.  
  
"Way too tired," Daisuke groaned.  
  
"Yeah," Takeru agreed quickly. "I've exhausted my powers healing myself and Daisuke. I'm very tired too."  
  
Hikari scowled at both boys and then suddenly whirled in place slashing the wooden sword straight at Takeru's head. He sat calmly waiting for the blow to come. The sword stopped a scant inch away from his head.  
  
"You're no fun," Hikari grouched sinking down on the wooden floor.  
  
Daisuke let go of the breath he didn't know he had been holding. "How could you sit still like that?" He asked Takeru.  
  
Takeru glanced towards him, smirking. "As if she would have actually hit me."  
  
The wooden sword smacked into his shoulder.  
  
Daisuke laughed. "Spoke too soon."  
  
Takeru sighed, rubbing his shoulder. "It's what I get for being right." He leaned over towards Daisuke and whispered conspiratorially, "she's a great girl but she can't take it when I upstage her."  
  
"Oh, you are asking for it when we have our rematch."  
  
Takeru grinned at her. "I'm safe for the moment. You can't have your rematch until we get back to Flaim."  
  
Daisuke looked between the two. "What're you talking about?" He asked finally, his curiosity getting the better of him.  
  
"I beat her in a hand to hand match," Takeru said cheerfully. "I've got bragging rights until the rematch where she's almost certainly likely to try and kill me. I intend to live my life to the fullest until then."  
  
"You actually beat her," Daisuke said in disbelief. "Nobody's even come close since Ken tried his luck three years ago."  
  
"He got lucky," Hikari muttered darkly. "I'm not going to go so easy on him next time."  
  
Daisuke stared at Takeru who answered laughingly. "I got two broken ribs out of the deal."  
  
Daisuke nodded in mock understanding. "Just a minor scratch really."  
  
Hikari scowled at both of them as they burst out laughing. "Well, since you two don't have enough guts to take me on one on one, how about two on one?"  
  
"How about you tell us whether you found Sora or not." Takeru replied grinning at her. "Neither of us is willing to fight right now and especially not you."  
  
Hikari sighed. "Well ok, I guess I'll just have to take my aggression out some other way." She shot a pointed glance towards Takeru who paled considerably.  
  
Daisuke hooted with laughter literally rolling on the floor.  
  
"Uh, yeah well, what about Sora?" Takeru said desperately, trying to steer the conversation in another direction.  
  
A light smirk crossed Hikari's face but she didn't pursue her teasing. "I found her. She was ambushed on the way which is unsettling but she said that she was all right and is on her way here."  
  
The news seemed to sober Daisuke as he stopped laughing to listen. "An ambush? That is unsettling. I wonder how they got her flight path."  
  
"I don't know," Hikari said rising to her feet and stifling a yawn. "I suspect we'll get some answers when she gets here tomorrow." She looked down at the two young men. "We all should probably catch some sleep while we can. Come along Takeru." Her last sentence was more command then request.  
  
Takeru looked towards Daisuke. "Pray for me," he whispered in mock terror.  
  
Daisuke merely waved in amusement watching the two leave. After a few moments of quiet reflection, he got up and headed towards his quarters.  
  
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Lee Jenrya had always been a practical person. Even at the age of ten, people had always commented on his extremely mature attitude. It was something that had served him well, especially when he'd gotten stuck in the Digital World. Instead of panicking like half the population around him had, he had instead focused on trying to find a solution. With his partner, Terriermon, by his side, he had found other people trapped on the Continent of Igniz and had bound them together into a sizable force. It was the only thing that had kept them alive when the darkness had come. Still, it had seemed hopeless. The constant raids and the superior numbers of their foes had been overwhelming. That was until two girls had arrived on the Continent. Both possessed partners that were capable of evolving further then any other individuals Digimon. In the end, it had been those two that had driven back the darkness. Jenrya, or Lee as he was commonly known, had relinquished his leadership to them knowing that the only hope those under him had of survival lay with the two women. Since then, the two had organized the Continent, facilitated a few disputes among some unruly children and had generally driven back the darkness to a small portion of the Continent. They had also recognized something in him and had made him the facilitator of their greatest base on this Continent. It had been an honor and he had devoted his life to the endeavor, to making sure that he did all he could to ensure that the two succeeded in their endeavors. However, every now and then, he did remember the life he had left behind. He especially missed his little sister. She had been a pain but he had never wanted to be separated from her this long.  
  
Sighing, Lee shuffled the reports on his desk and arranged them into a neat pile. He had stayed in his office far too long again. Still, at least this time he wouldn't have to hear a lecture from either of the two Ladies. Picking up the reports, he started off tiredly towards his quarters. It was due to this lack of extreme fatigue that he missed the telltale signs of someone stalking him until that someone was almost on top of him. He was in the midst of turning around to check behind him when a masked figure caught up and tackled him, causing the reports in his hands to go flying.  
  
As the two rolled around on the ground, Lee cursed inwardly. Whoever this was, he had chosen a perfect place for an ambush. This section of the citadel was deserted this time of night and the latest patrol would not be around for some time. The fact that this had been planned with such precise cunning was very disturbing. They had been infiltrated somehow.  
  
Grunting, Lee managed to kick the man off him and rose to his feet. The masked figure got up as well scant meters away and rushed at Lee again. This time he was ready for the attack and ducked under the figure's punch and blasted him in the gut with an uppercut. It had no effect. His assailant did not even grunt and almost flattened Lee with his other arm. Lee dodged that blow, barely, and leapt back trying to open up some more room. He wasn't allowed the luxury though as the figure pursued. Gliding sideways, Lee stuck out his leg and tripped the figure. He capitalized by jumping on his assailants back and twisting his arms behind him.  
  
"Who are you?" Lee yelled as the figure under him bucked, seemingly uncaring about what happened to his arms. He pulled back harder but even that did not lessen his assailant's struggles. Left with no choice, he twisted hard, dislocating the man's shoulder. However, there was no sound when there should have been some indication of a limb snapping. Eyes widening, Lee let go of the arms and jumped to his feet as the figure under him began to literally melt. His body flowed and twisted, reforming itself in the air before him. 'A Bakemon,' Lee thought in incredulity. 'How did a damned Bakemon get in the citadel?'  
  
He didn't have any more time to wonder over it though as the figure resumed his attack. Lee fell back trying to look for a way out. He knew now that he couldn't fight something like this without weaponry. Unfortunately, he had nothing on him. Fortunately, he didn't need anything. A green burst of energy suddenly struck his assailant from behind, effectively reducing him to his knees.  
  
Lee looked past his assailant in astonishment as his small Digimon partner came into view. His surprise was short lived as his instinct for self preservation kicked in and he used the opening he had to dash past the Bakemon and over to his partners side. The Bakemon began to rise up again but a final burst of energy from Terriermon knocked him back down. There was a swirl of data as the digital parasite was destroyed, its physical host slumping to the floor.  
  
Breathing a sigh of relief, Lee looked down at his partner. "Not that I'm not glad but what are you doing here this time of night?"  
  
"Lady Miyako asked me to check in on you regularly," Terriermon replied, still watching the inert figure of the Bakemon. "She didn't want you overworking yourself just because she and Lady Sora aren't here to supervise."  
  
Lee grunted, beginning to walk toward the fallen figure.  
  
"Careful," Terriermon cautioned.  
  
Lee nodded and approached the figure carefully. He slowly reached down and removed the black mask covering the man's face. The face he saw chilled his blood. Whirling around, he dashed from the hallway.  
  
"Keep an eye on him," he yelled to Terriermon. "I'll send security to clean up."  
  
After that there was nothing more left to say. All there was, was a mad dash towards the security compound, hoping against hope that he wasn't too late.  
  
________________________________  
  
The impromptu gathering had finally begun to wind down and most of the others had taken their leave. Miyako and Ken had left together as was proper. Iori had left shortly thereafter. Mimi had followed after exchanging a few more verbal spars with Koushirou. In the end, it was just the two old friends again until the need for sleep, drove Koushirou away as well. Afterwards, Jyou sat still for a while until his door beeped lightly. Smiling, he gave the command for it to open. The door slid aside and Mimi re-entered the room.  
  
"You came early this time," he remarked softly, rising to his feet.  
  
"I know," she replied walking forward into his arms. "I was lonely and Miyako was nowhere to be found."  
  
"How many years has it been since we first did this?" He asked introspectively.  
  
Smiling, Mimi leaned up brushing her lips across his. "You're not beginning to fall in love with me, are you Kido, Jyou?"  
  
He laughed. "No, actually I'm not. You're too high maintenance for me."  
  
"That's Koushirou's influence, right there but to answer your question, we have danced this dance for the past six years."  
  
"So long?" Jyou sighed. "I wonder sometimes why you haven't just picked one of the dozens of men that would gladly throw themselves at your feet."  
  
"Are you beginning to get bored with me?"  
  
He sighed in exasperation. "Why do you always answer a question with another question? You know I will be here for you whenever you need me."  
  
Mimi glanced up at him, her eyes flashing uncertainly. "I... don't know why, actually," she began uncertainly. "I guess I'm not ready for that type of commitment just yet. This way, there's nothing else to get in the way."  
  
"Just two friends comforting each other." Jyou nodded. "I understand, although you should really consider the alternative, my dear. It's very lucky that we can do what we do without the risk of pregnancy."  
  
"Thankfully, females can't get pregnant here. And, there will be time enough for the rest after all this is done." She said, her expression turning mischievous. "Now come on, we've only got four hours left."  
  
Laughing, Jyou let her lead him to his bedroom.  
  
____________________________  
  
The tunnel was dank and more then a little bit cold. It was also swathed in darkness but Sora had taken care of that by forming a small construct of light that floated above their heads. That particular power had something to do with their shields. Yamato didn't know how though. Right now, it was enough that they had the light. He didn't want to be walking in darkness through these tunnels. They were surprisingly narrow and there was only space for one person to walk at a time. The last thing he wanted was a case of claustrophobia. Up ahead, they came to yet another intersection.  
  
"Which way now, fearless leader," Yamato remarked sardonically. This was their fifth intersection and it didn't seem to be leading them anywhere.  
  
"We'll take the right one again," Sora replied distractedly.  
  
No doubt she was trying to remember the schematics that Koushirou had drawn up for these tunnels. After stumbling around for nearly an hour, Yamato was pretty much ready to give up and try his luck outside. It didn't help that Sora didn't seem to know in which direction she was going or was being very tight lipped about what she intended. Their intention had been to make their way to the hangar bay and see whether the courier craft was working or not. However, now they might end up anywhere.  
  
They took the right side but this time it brought them to a dead end. Sora looked over her shoulder at Yamato. "I can open this wall but we have no way of knowing if there's anybody on the other side or not."  
  
Gabumon spoke up from behind Yamato. "I can check. My hearing is a lot keener then yours."  
  
Sora nodded, stepping back a little. "Ok, go ahead."  
  
Gabumon jumped up on Yamato's shoulders, then walked onto Sora's and finally jumped down in front of the wall. He leaned against the wall and stayed still for a long moment. Abruptly, he turned back to Sora. "I can't really hear anything." He said apologetically. "However, that could be because the room ahead is empty."  
  
Sora glanced back at Yamato. "Should we risk it?"  
  
Thinking it over for a minute Yamato nodded. "Yeah, but go carefully. If there is somebody in there, we'll need to silence them before they raise an alarm."  
  
"All right," Sora said turning back to the wall and running her hands over it. A familiar glow came from her heart and the door slid aside. Quickly, the three burst into the empty room. Sora's eyes widened as she realized just what room this was.  
  
Yamato looked around as well. "An office," he said looking around at the ornate desk and the sparse furnishings in the room.  
  
"Not just any office," Sora replied. "This is Tom's office." She walked over to the desk and began going through the drawers. "We may find something useful here."  
  
Yamato instructed Gabumon to stay at the main door and warn them if he heard anybody approaching. Then, he walked over beside Sora and began to help her go through the drawers. In the back of one, he found a small diary. He flipped through it quickly, going straight to the last page. There was a note hurriedly scribbled there.  
  
'The acts of sabotage have gotten more frequent. I fear  
  
that I am all alone now. We have been infiltrated, there  
is no doubt in my mind of that now. I should have listened  
to Michael when I had the chance but in my arrogance, I never  
believed that we could have been infiltrated. How did this  
happen? Was it the emissary from Sol? I don't even know  
whether any true humans remain in this base. Just yesterday, I  
saw a guards limbs bend in an unnatural fashion but even more  
terrifying was how he caught me staring at him. He did not try to  
hide but rather smiled. It chilled me to my bones. They are toying  
with me now. I am certain of it. Even more terrifying is the fact  
that I can't find Kumamon anywhere. If there are any humans left,  
they are now in the minority. Word must be sent to Flaim but the  
mechanics tell me that our crafts are still unable to work. For all  
I know they have been taken over as well. It is only a matter of time  
before they come for me. I hope against hope that Lady Sora learns  
of this. There has been a report from Farez that they have sighted  
Dark Digimon. This means that the scouts will be here in a matter of  
days. The report is in many ways my death knell. They will not allow  
me to live and sound the alarm. There is one final measure though and to those that find this diary, I will remind them of the main power engine at the lower level of this castle. I've tried to access it but was stopped  
and  
taken back to my quarter. They know that I can't do anything and  
now I am forced to await my certain death. To those who find this,  
avenge me.'  
  
"What was he talking about?" Yamato asked Sora who had come up beside him and was reading the note.  
  
Sora frowned thoughtfully. "About the only thing I can think of is the self destruct mechanism. He must have been very desperate if he was considering that."  
  
"This is a desperate situation. In his position, I doubt I would have done any different."  
  
"But an explosion of that magnitude would kill everybody in this castle." Sora shook her head. "No, there has to be another way."  
  
"They are already dead Sora. You know there is nothing we can do for those possessed by Bakemon."  
  
"I can't accept this Yamato," Sora said heatedly. "We can't afford a loss of this magnitude. You have no concept of how badly the odds are against us in this war with the Dark Ocean. We need every man."  
  
Yamato sighed softly, looking at her. "Is there some way to save them out or are you just reacting because this happened on your watch?" His expression suddenly hardened. "I know enough about this war to know that we need every advantage we can get but I also know that we have to make hard choices sometimes. If you have no other alternative, we'll have to proceed with the only option we have."  
  
Sora's shoulder's slumped as she realized the truth of his words. There really was no other way. The outpost had been compromised. They could always rebuild and the tactician in her was already thinking of ways to redirect sources away from Flaim and bring them here. Lee was going to have a fit.  
  
"All right," she replied finally. "But it will be difficult. The self destruct mechanism is located at the heart of this place but it is also heavily guarded at all times."  
  
"We should split up. I don't want to be here when this place blows. One of us should go to the hangar and secure the craft and the other should set the mechanism."  
  
"Assuming the aircraft isn't really broken," Sora muttered. "We could lose precious time that way."  
  
"Which is why you should go to the hangar," Yamato responded. "You can stay in contact with me using your powers and tell me how to activate the self destruct mechanism. Plus, I can bio-merge and if I get caught, it'll be a lot easier for me to escape then for you."  
  
Sora nodded. "All right, that seems reasonable. So tell me, how exactly do you intend to find the mechanism?"  
  
That brought Yamato up short. "There has to be a map somewhere around here." He said finally.  
  
Sora turned back towards the desk. "Start looking then," she shot back over her shoulder.  
  
A quick search revealed a small layout of the fortress. It wasn't a proper map but it would do. Yamato grabbed it and studied it for a bit. The outpost had several levels including four basement levels. The architecture looked a little unbalanced considering there were only two levels above ground.  
  
Sora pointed towards the lower most level. "The self destruct mechanism is located here. It's basically one huge room and it supplies power to this castle. I'll leave a ward in your mind. When you get down there, contact me through it."  
  
"You can do that now?" Yamato asked while studying the small schematics sheet for the castle.  
  
"Benefit of having our crests again, our powers have increased exponentially."  
  
Yamato suddenly grinned wolfishly. "You know, I wanted to do this stealthily but there's another way we could do this too."  
  
Sora's eyes widened. "Don't be stupid," she said quickly.  
  
"Don't worry," Yamato said chuckling softly. "I'll be fine and this way, all the attention will be on me. You should have a fairly easy time making it to the hangar bay. Who knows, if there really is something wrong with the aircraft, you might have enough time to fix it too."  
  
"This base is filled with Bakemon. That's up to one hundred that are going to be after you."  
  
Yamato shrugged. "Lightweight, all things considered. Our bigger concern is that the stronger Digimon trailing you don't make it here too. It's all over if they do get here. We need to be quick about this."  
  
"Ok fine," Sora conceded, "but here, take this." She reached up and touched Yamato's forehead. There was a slight tingling sensation, which passed quickly. "I've put the ward in your mind. Just think towards me and I should hear you."  
  
"Should?"  
  
"It doesn't really work over long distances. Try not to stray too far."  
  
Yamato nodded, heading towards Gabumon. "All right buddy, let's do our thing." Seconds later they were bio-merged. "Give me ten minutes and then head towards the hangar." He opened the door and slipped out.  
  
Sora sat down on the desk and started counting. When she had reached a count of thirty seconds, there was a huge explosion and then the howling of a wolf. There were other unearthly cries that echoed that first howl and Sora knew that the base had been taken over for good. All she could do now was make it back to Flaim as soon as possible. She had sent scouts here and they had undoubtedly been converted. Even now they could be causing havoc in her city.  
  
As she reached the ten-minute mark, Sora vacated her chair and made her way towards the door. She opened it to find a calm, quiet hallway. Yamato had wisely chosen to start his chaos a little further away from this location. No doubt, he didn't want some of the Bakemon to backtrack his trail and find her. His plan seemed to have worked too as she didn't find anyone blocking her way to the hangar.  
  
The hangar was actually a clear space towards the left of the castle's courtyard. It was cut off from the courtyard by a large wall and it was also deserted. Sora quickly made her way to the lone craft in the area and entered it. A queasy feeling entered the pit of her stomach as the systems display lit up in front of her. The aircraft had been sabotaged and unfortunately, she wasn't going to find a substitute part anytime soon. She could have made one if she'd had Koushirou's specs in front of her but without them, she was lost.  
  
She was searching around inside the craft for something, anything to help her when she heard a loud explosion from outside the castle. She quickly vacated the craft and her eyes widened as she saw a dark cloud quickly approaching from the horizon. Yamato's mind touched hers that instant.  
  
______________________________  
  
Padding along the ground, pursued by a great amount of Bakemon, green laser blasts streaming past him, his own future uncertain, he was having a great deal of fun. He wondered whether it was right to be feeling joy at a moment like this and banished the thought as soon as it had come. Right now was not the time for introspection.  
  
Gazing behind him, he saw a huge crowd of Bakemon in pursuit. Gathering his powers he shot a burst of ice right at their feet. A great many slipped and were trampled by their brethren behind them.  
  
Yamato grinned and turned around as he approached the end of the hallway. He was almost to his location and would need to lose the majority of his pursuit if he was going to contact Sora and activate the self- destruct. It seemed the time had come to test the extent of his powers.  
  
Gathering his energy, he stopped in his tracks and turned around. The Bakemon rushed towards him, their human faces twisted in inhuman expressions of rage. There were the occasional beam shots at him but he avoided them easily enough. For now, it seemed that the Bakemon wanted to lay into him with their hands. As the energy within him reached its peak, he released it. The resulting backlash from the release of so much energy at one time pushed him back and he slammed roughly against the wall at the end of the hallway. The blast of ice from his hands shut off as he slumped to his knees.  
  
Shaking his head, Yamato looked up to see the entire hallway encased in ice. The entire horde of Bakemon stood frozen to the ground, literally. For all their abilities, they wouldn't be getting out of this any time soon. Turning around, Yamato opened the door and ran down the small stair well to the fourth level of the basement.  
  
The door at the end of the stair well opened out into a large room. There was a great cylindrical machine at its center and various computer consoles ringed the machine. He suddenly caught a flicker of motion from his periphery and jumped sideways, barely avoiding the scythe that came close to separating his head from his shoulders.  
  
Yamato rolled to his feet and beheld the figure of Tom Himi standing before him wielding a large scythe. The blade of the scythe was glowing with an unnatural blue light.  
  
"I figured one of you would show up here when all the commotion started," Tom said quietly. "What gave us away?"  
  
Yamato checked the room surreptitiously while keeping an eye on the possessed human. It seemed they were alone for the moment. "Your charges got careless," he said finally. "Bakemon are great infiltrators but even when they have possession of a human, they can't help but act like their Digimon forms."  
  
"I suppose all great things have a flaw. Pity that it was such a little thing that gave us away." Tom's eyes suddenly glowed and he surged forward swinging his scythe. Yamato leapt back dodging the attack and then leapt forward. The scythe swung back around but he twisted in midair, avoiding it and tackled Himi. His claws tore into Himi's shoulders but the man avoided the pain and his scythe swung up towards Yamato's midsection as he fell backwards. Yamato twisted aside again and did a handspring into the air as Himi's shoulders touched the ground. He twisted in the air and landed lightly on his feet facing Himi who had gotten to his feet.  
  
"You can't win," Himi said advancing forward again. "I'm not like those ordinary Bakemon. I was possessed by an evolved version, a Phantomon. And, Master Cthulhu's other Digimon will be here soon."  
  
That made things a bit difficult. It also explained the scythe. Phantomon's were tremendously strong virus types. He was in for a slightly tougher battle. It also didn't help that he had foolishly exhausted a great deal of his energy in dealing with the pursuing Bakemon. He needed time to recharge a bit but it didn't seem like he would be getting that time.  
  
The scythe swung downwards in a vertical slice and Yamato nimbly sidestepped as it crashed into the floor. He dodged backwards as Himi swept the scythe horizontally, barely avoiding the thing as it almost raked his chest. He shot off a small burst of ice but it was blocked by Himi as he swung his scythe to intercept it. Falling backwards, Yamato moved the fight towards one of the computer consoles ringing the main reactor. He had an idea but it required perfect timing. Himi kept up his attack, his swings getting swifter and wilder. That was fine with Yamato though. His whole plan hinged on it. As his back collided with one of the computer consoles, he leapt aside. The scythe crashed into the console a second later. The move gave Yamato a small window of opportunity. He immediately fired a burst of ice at the blade of the scythe, effectively freezing the area around it so that it stuck into the console. As Himi struggled with the scythe, Yamato jumped forward and tackled him again. This time there was no scythe to ward him off with but the possessed man was still inhumanly strong.  
  
The two struggled, rolling around on the floor. Yamato rent Himi's skin with his claws and fangs but the man paid the wounds no mind. The only thing that was going to stop him was if there was a surge of energy through his body that overwhelmed his possessor. The shock would kill him but it would also destroy the Digimon. Unfortunately, Yamato did not have the energy to administer such a shock at the moment. However...  
  
Springing away from his opponent, Yamato jumped to his feet and dashed towards the scythe. Himi rolled to his feet and pursued immediately. Firing a short burst of ice at the floor, Yamato caused him to crash to the floor again. Grabbing the scythe, Yamato twisted and it came free. Whirling around he slashed backwards and the scythe connected with Himi's gut. There was a strangled choke from the man and then he toppled forward to the floor.  
  
Yamato did not even pause to check his opponent's condition. He closed his eyes and immediately began concentrating on Sora. Her mind touched his almost immediately. 'I'm here,' he thought inwardly. 'Hurry up and tell me how I engage the auto destruct.'  
  
Sora's voice came back hurriedly. 'We've got a situation. The rest of the Digimon that were pursuing us have just arrived and from what I can see, their force is now twice as large as it was when they tried to ambush me. They're outside the castle at the moment. I've got another idea. From the main control, you can engage the castle's automated defense systems. It won't stop them but it can delay them a bit. After that set the self-destruct. They'll be blown to bits if they do get inside.'  
  
'All right,' Yamato responded. 'Tell me how to activate the systems. Afterwards, we'll rendezvous in the courtyard.'  
  
'Brace yourself, I have to be quick and this won't be gentle in any way.'  
  
A flood of images suddenly hit Yamato, reducing him to his knees. His mind felt like it was on fire as it received instruction after instruction. The images gradually faded but the pain remained. Rubbing his temples, Yamato rose to his feet and made his way towards one of the computer systems around the main reactor. His fingers flew over the console as he punched in a code that Sora had implanted in his head. There was no visible sign that anything had happened but Yamato pushed on ahead. After entering the code for the self-destruct and setting it for ten minutes, he started back towards the courtyard.  
  
________________________________  
  
From the courtyard, Sora watched as the cloud came closer and closer. She could make out individual specks breaking away from it and making their way towards the castle. There was another explosion at the main gate and she knew that they had brought ground Digimon in addition to those descending from the air. She again cursed herself for sending Biyomon away with Miyako. What had she been thinking?  
  
Suddenly, a bright green arc of light shot out of the castle parapets towards the cloud. Similar lights began appearing all over the castle as hidden turrets swung out and began firing. However, the number of Digimon was too great. It was only a matter of time before the castle was overwhelmed. The automated defenses had never been the main reliance in defense. They had only been a secondary measure to support the humans and their Digimon.  
  
There was the sound of paws clicking on hard stone and suddenly Yamato was crouching beside her. "The main gate is covered." Sora said turning towards him as he straightened and stood on his two hind legs. "And it's a pretty good bet that they've got the whole castle surrounded by now. We're going to have to try and break past them."  
  
Yamato nodded. "All right, climb on." He knelt down and Sora put her arms around his neck, clinging to his back. "Hold on," the half wolf, half human hybrid said and then began running towards the back of the castle. Powerful muscles bunching, he jumped a great distance, easily clearing several walls. In no time at all they were atop the back wall of the castle.  
  
The area around the castle had been cleared a little but there was still a sizeable forest that surrounded it. Yamato gazed down, his keen wolf's eyes immediately spotting the dozen or so Digimon gathered at the base of the castle and a few dozen others cordoning off the forest. They hadn't noticed them yet as they were still busy with the castle's automated defense.  
  
"Cover us with your shield when they start shooting at us." Yamato instructed Sora. "I'll try to dodge but probably won't evade every blast aimed our way."  
  
"I can do better. If they get too close, I can slow them down with my telepathy."  
  
Yamato shook his head. "Don't exhaust yourself. All I need is your shield. Just leave the evasion to me." Without waiting for her reply, he leapt off the wall. The jump carried them halfway to the forest but it also attracted the attention of the Digimon. A few of them left themselves open to attack as they forgot about the green lasers that were coming from the castle.  
  
Running on all fours with Sora's hands clenched around his neck, Yamato set off towards the forest. There were blasts all around him as the Digimon at the base of the castle turned around and began their pursuit. Ahead of him, the remaining Digimon also turned their attention towards the pair. Immediately, Yamato saw a problem. He was not going to be able to break through the enemies in front of them without engaging a few. However with Sora on his back, he couldn't go all out. The problem was solved when everybody in front of him suddenly froze. He tossed a glance over his shoulder to see Sora's hand raised towards the group in front of them.  
  
Growling, he turned back and jumped again, clearing the group and landing at the edge of the forest. Immediately, he dove in as more blasts rang out around him. Bobbing and weaving in between the trees, he ran as best he could. It was a nightmarish run and he barely avoided being crushed by felled trees more than once. In fact, that was quickly becoming an irritant as some of the pursuing forces started tossing blasts left and right. They were trying to contain him for their other brethren by bringing the whole forest down around him. His entire focus shrank down to avoiding falling trees and keeping ahead of his pursuers.  
  
A loud explosion suddenly ripped through the air, the shockwave sending him flying. He twisted in the air, bringing his arms up to brace Sora who still clung to his back. The first thing he noticed as he landed on his feet was a thick plume of smoke rising in the air. It was coming from the general direction of the castle. It seemed the self-destruct mechanism had done its work.  
  
Taking the few moments of respite he had, he turned and ran further into the forest, leaping over upturned trees and other more natural obstacles. The pursuing Digimon recovered much quicker then he would have liked and began their endeavor to bring the entire forest down, once again. Still, he had been given some extra time and it kept him ahead if not entirely unscathed. He could tell that Sora was tiring as more and more attacks that were actually aimed at him began getting through her shield. He wasn't going to be able to keep this up for long.  
  
Up ahead he finally glimpsed the forest lessening a bit. That meant he was almost to the other side. 'We'll have to make our stand there.' Sora's voice sounded inside his head.  
  
"Agreed," Yamato panted, dodging around a tree. He began gathering his powers. With the numbers of Digimon he'd seen, it would be pretty futile but he didn't intend to go quietly. If anything, they would likely take a huge number of the Digimon with them before they were taken.  
  
As he broke through the forest, Yamato skidded to a halt. However, it was not because he was preparing to make his last stand. Instead, he came to a halt because a relatively small army of humans and Digimon were gathered at the edge of the forest. The humans immediately snapped to attention as he broke through the forest, raising those odd-looking hand blasters and pointing them towards him.  
  
"Stop." A man at the head of the army yelled out. Immediately, the men lowered their weapons slightly.  
  
Sora jumped down from Yamato's back, staring apprehensively at the man as he approached her. "Lee," she said softly.  
  
"Lady Sora." The man bowed and produced a knife from within his robes. He quickly cut his hand and held it out showing her that he was who he appeared to be. Sora sighed with relief, taking off her bandages and showing him her half healed wound from earlier that afternoon.  
  
"We're being pursued," Sora said hurriedly as the man, Lee, seemed to relax upon seeing that they weren't possessed. Eyes instantly snapping upwards, Lee looked past them than back at Sora. He nodded faintly and then turned back.  
  
"Retreat to fifty yards from the forest," he barked out to his men. The force arrayed behind him turned in unison and retreated. Sora started after them, Yamato following along behind. The first Digimon appeared when they had reached the fifty-yard mark. It was a Gollumon, a humongous man like construct of stone and wood, and it immediately began charging the group.  
  
"Hold," Sora yelled, holding out her arm. The army behind her paused, holding their blasters at the ready. Another Digimon, a Phantomon in his pure form, appeared at the edge of the forest and hesitated. The Gollumon was now within thirty yards of the group. More Digimon began coming out of the forest and stopped at its edge. The Gollumon was now within ten yards of them. As it entered the five-yard range, it drew back its arm intending to throw a punch. Sora's arm plunged down and immediately an array of green lasers sped past her and struck the Gollumon. He dissolved into data, his fist a scant centimeter away from Sora's face.  
  
Yamato slowly let out the breath he hadn't known he was holding. "That was rather crazy," he said turning to Sora. "Why did you let him get so close?"  
  
"All actions have their purposes, Yamato." Sora replied, pointing towards the forest. "Look, they're a lot less eager to fight after this display and they know they can't win since their main force has likely been wiped out by the explosion of the Seona outpost. Also, we've discovered the loss of a lot of comrades today. I don't want to risk anymore lives in needless fighting."  
  
He could see the truth of her words. The other Digimon were already retreating, most disappearing back into the forest. A few still lingered here and there but even they knew that their cause was futile now. After a few more minutes, all of the Digimon had vanished back into the forest.  
  
"All right everybody," Lee yelled out, "set up camp and squad leaders, assign your best scouts for watch duty. I don't want anything to sneak into camp at night."  
  
With those words, Yamato realized that it was nearly evening. He had been so caught up in the chase and the day had been overcast to begin with so he hadn't noticed. Around Sora, Lee and himself a proverbial wellspring of activity sprung up and a vast camp began to gradually take shape.  
  
Yamato turned away from observing the soldiers just in time to hear Sora ask Lee, "How did you come to be here?"  
  
"I was attacked last night," Lee explained, while somehow managing to keep an eye on the surrounding activity. "It was a scout we'd sent out possessed by a Bakemon. I sent a scout to the intermediate Outpost of Talar and to the northeastern Outpost of Farez to warn them of similar threats. Then I gathered our men, made sure there weren't any more infiltrators and made a forced march here. There's still another fifty pair of humans and digimon coming behind us. They fell behind due to overexertion in their bio-merged states. Consequently, the Outpost of Talar is safe. I passed it on our way here and made sure of it myself. We're still awaiting word from Farez."  
  
"What about Flaim? Did you vacate it completely?"  
  
Lee shot her a look, which he was very good at. It seemed to scream a mixture of indignation and sarcasm. "Give me a little more credit. I left Miguel in charge and told him to keep patrols random outside the city and keep on the highest alert until I got back."  
  
"Good," Sora replied sighing softly, gazing back at the thick cloud of smoke that was gradually breaking away into data over the forest. "This was a big screw up on our parts Lee. Miyako is going to have a fit and Tai isn't going to take it much better. Which reminds me, I hope you brought an aircraft. I need to get to the summit and report this right away. If things are going smoothly on the other Continents, we can expect some support until we're ready to get back on our feet here."  
  
"I did bring an aircraft and I brought one loaded with firepower," Lee said thumbing back over his shoulder. "I left it a little ways behind with a guard. You can use it to leave now. I've got this covered and by tomorrow we'll have pushed that rabble back to their boundaries."  
  
Sora nodded, turning away. "I hate leaving now but I have no choice. I can probably do more good at the summit anyway." She suddenly turned back towards Lee. "Wait, the scout you sent to Farez. What orders did you give him?"  
  
Lee grinned. "I told both of the scouts I sent out to take the leaders of the outposts hostage and determine whether they were possessed or not."  
  
Sora began laughing. "Miyako is going to kill you. She's got to deal with these people on a regular basis and you're not exactly endearing them to us with this stunt."  
  
"It serves her right for sending Terriermon to babysit me. Think of it as payback."  
  
Still chuckling, Sora turned away and Yamato followed along behind her. He was still absorbing most of what he'd heard, his mind puzzling over the pieces and coming to various conclusions. What he'd been surprised at had been Sora's leadership. She had obviously replaced him as Tai's second in command. Which was surprising considering he'd thought Jyou would take that position.  
  
"What're you thinking?" Sora asked lightly as they walked through the organized chaos that was the setting up of camp.  
  
"Nothing much," Yamato answered. "Should we be setting off so soon? Aren't you worried about another attack?"  
  
Sora shook her head. "Lee said the aircraft was loaded with firepower so he obviously brought one of our warplanes. It's slower then the small craft I was using but it should still get us there in time. Plus, we've still got your powers and mine if worse comes to worse."  
  
Yamato shrugged lapsing back into silence. They walked like that for the rest of the way. What was even more unnerving was that the silence lasted for their entire trip to the summit.  
  
__________________________________  
  
He was training in the gym when he got the telepathic message. 'Takeru, come to the War room please.'  
  
'What's wrong,' he questioned.  
  
There was a slight pause, hesitation perhaps, and then, 'just come.'  
  
That slight hesitation put him on edge. He reformed his regular clothes around himself and hurried to the war room. Hikari's tone had left no doubt that whatever was happening was of the utmost importance. The main door slid aside as he used his crest to gain entrance. Inside, all of the Chosen were gathered around the war table. He saw Sora, began to greet her and then noticed the man standing beside her. Eyes widening, he turned back to Sora and noticed a look in her eyes. Pity? Sympathy? He couldn't place it. He turned towards Hikari, trying to find someplace, anyplace in this insanity. 'It couldn't be him, it just couldn't.' He didn't find any respite with Hikari. She nodded her head slightly. His world had shifted again. Doing the only thing he could, he turned around and left.  
  
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Alrighty, click that Go button.  
  
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Next: The laying of new plans and friendly discussions. 


	4. Chapter Four

The Final Battle (Chapter Four)  
  
Disclaimer - Don't own Digimon.  
  
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Anger! It was a rare emotion for him. For some, it was a fire that burned unchecked, carrying away anything and anybody that got in his way. For him, it was the means to attain focus, because his anger was not fire, it was ice. An ice that froze the blood in his veins, turning his heart cold until he couldn't feel the pain that had caused him to get angry. It was dangerous; this rage of his and so he had resolved never to get angry. By and large, he had held true to that. He could count on one hand the number of times he had truly let his rage run unchecked. Right now, he was fast approaching the point where he'd have to start using both hands.  
  
Grunting, Takeru started whirling the Bo faster and faster, working out his emotions. It was a technique he'd been taught a long time ago. Channeling his anger into the Bo, he was supposed to release it with this exercise. Sometimes though, the anger stuck and it wouldn't leave. Snarling, he quickened his pace, forcing the anger into the weapon.  
  
It wasn't his brother, it couldn't be. The others had been fooled, led astray. Takeru whirled around and brought the Bo down in a vertical slash. There was a loud clacking sound and the Bo stopped in midair as a wooden sword intercepted it. Blue eyes stared into blue.  
  
"Hello, little brother," Yamato said softly.  
  
Takeru took a deep breath. "You are not my brother."  
  
It was very disconcerting when he smiled. "You would come to believe that if I left you alone. As it stands, I don't really care." Yamato backed off a little. "If you're expecting me to try and earn your approval, you're in for a surprise." He raised the wooden sword and assumed a fighting stance. "Come on little brother; let's see how far you've come since I've been away."  
  
To say that Takeru was mystified would have been an understatement. However, he raised his weapon and began twirling it slowly while approaching the image of his brother. Yamato's sword darted out lightning quick but Takeru was ready for it and brought the Bo down in a parry. There was a rapid exchange with Yamato trying to get past his guard. He blocked each strike deftly and then swung his staff in a vicious overhand blow that would have knocked off Yamato's head had it connected. He ducked under it though and lunged forward, his sword spearing towards Takeru's midsection. Takeru twisted sideways avoiding the sword and moved his Bo in between the sword and his body to avoid a counterattack. The two leapt apart, breathing heavily.  
  
"Not... bad," Yamato said panting. "You've gotten better."  
  
"How would you know?" Takeru replied savagely. "My brother and I never sparred. You're not him."  
  
Yamato sighed. "I don't care what you believe Takeru." He raised his sword again. "However, I did spend nearly five years of my life in your mind. I know you inside out, little brother."  
  
"DON'T CALL ME THAT." Takeru yelled, rushing forward.  
  
Yamato quickly raised his sword falling backwards as Takeru started to rapidly assault him. He recognized the combination almost immediately after Takeru began using it. Moving his sword rapidly he parried and blocked every hit aimed at his way and then started responding with some moves of his own. The Elders had not only constructed this body for him but they had also added many improvements to it. To make up for his missing memories, a ton of data had been added to his mind to take their place. Among that data was knowledge of weapons and hand-to-hand techniques.  
  
Takeru fell backwards blocking the blows. Yamato had to admit that his brother was good, very good in fact. The training he had undertaken with Angemon had paid off in more ways then one. He would be a hard opponent to defeat when the time came. However, he would be defeated.  
  
Yamato quickly brought his sword around in an overhand swing and Takeru blocked it right before it smashed into the side of his head. They deadlocked in that position, glaring at each other. Yamato suddenly kicked out, catching Takeru in the shin. Stumbling back in surprise, Takeru was unable to avoid the kick that caught him in the stomach, bowling him over onto his back. Before he could get up, Yamato was standing over him with his sword poised under Takeru's chin.  
  
"You cheated," Takeru said quietly, glaring at the figure standing over him.  
  
"I told you, I don't care what you believe about me. Circumstances will force us to fight side by side. You had best resign yourself to working with me."  
  
Takeru sighed softly, his anger draining. The fight had helped and he'd come out of it, losing. That disconcerted him for some reason.  
  
"What did you mean when you said you were in my mind for five years?"  
  
Yamato smiled. "So, finally willing to listen? The Guardians put me there. Don't you remember that one night at the main compound? You always had a suspicion that something untoward had happened that night but you never figured out what. That was me influencing your thoughts subtly, leading you away from pursuing the matter in any great detail." Takeru glared up at him and Yamato's smile turned feral. "Do you hate me now, little brother? There was a time when you used to look up to me. I see that is an illusion you're too old to indulge now. It's for the best really." There was a slight pause and when Yamato continued, his voice had grown cold. "There's a monster inside you little brother, a monster that desires the death and destruction of everything in this world. The only problem is, do I kill you now when that monster is still asleep or do I let him wake up. However, we need your powers so I'll have to wait until after this is all over." Yamato removed his sword and turned away. "Keep your skills sharp little brother. There may come a day when we'll do this for real. Now come along. I have a lot of explaining to do and you need to hear it as well as the others."  
  
"Wait," Takeru called out, "why did you tell me this? If I tell the others, it would only put your position in danger."  
  
Yamato stopped, his back to Takeru. "Feel free to tell the others, however, it will only put you in doubt. The telepaths will back me and if necessary, the Protector Beasts as well. If you try to confront me, you will lose and it will reveal your own fate to them. What little goodwill you've managed to gain will be lost in a matter of seconds." He resumed walking.  
  
Rising to his feet, Takeru followed the image of his brother back to the War Room. For the moment, his curiosity was piqued and he mulled over everything he'd just heard. Suffice to say, this impersonator was right. He had convinced the others already from what Takeru had seen and the confidence with which he spoke of having the Protectors vouch for him was disturbing as well. He needed to put all this out of his mind though. The others would scrutinize him and keeping what he'd just heard from Hikari would be especially difficult. He had leverage though; she had known about this and hadn't told him. He had seen that much in her eyes. Suddenly, he remembered the night she'd put him to sleep to talk with Angemon. Had he known? And the wall in his mind? What was going on here?  
  
An immediate hush fell over the War Room as they entered. The rest of the Chosen were sitting at the table now. Keeping an impassive expression on his face, Takeru walked up and took the empty seat next to Hikari. Quietly, she took his hand under the table and gave it a reassuring squeeze.  
  
'Are you okay?' Her voice sounded in his head sounding strangely hesitant.  
  
'I said I trusted you, remember.' Takeru replied, making his tone light. 'You've forgiven me so much. It would hardly be fair if I got angry with you over this.'  
  
There was some hesitation and then, 'We'll talk about his later.' There was a tone of finality to her words, which made Takeru groan inwardly. She knew something was up and was going to call him on it later.  
  
Across the table, Yamato began speaking. "I know all of you must have some questions regarding my abrupt appearance. Some of you may even doubt that it is me, however, for the foreseeable future, we will have to work together and I'm asking that you keep an open mind about all you're going to hear."  
  
"That is not particularly hard when it comes to people like us." Mimi replied wryly. "You'd be surprised at how many have already accepted you. All that remains now is your story so go on, we're all pretty curious."  
  
Yamato smiled at Mimi, bowing his head. "Thank you." He looked around at the others. "I will start at the beginning. When I died, my body began breaking up into data much as what happens to our blood when we're cut in the Digital World. This data was harvested and collected by the Guardians. They reconstructed me however the process was not perfect. Many of my memories were lost. In an effort to reacquaint myself with you guys, I was implanted into Takeru's mind." Yamato turned towards Takeru. "I was told not to contact you guys and that a day would come when I would be able to stand in front of you in my own body. Then, two years ago, I went against this edict and contacted Hikari because I needed her help. Afterwards, both Takeru and I traveled across many worlds. At the end of our journey, we were sent to the dimension of the Elders. That's where you picked up that little mental block in your mind, little brother."  
  
Ten faces swung towards Takeru, who nodded. "He's right, although I don't remember any of it." He paused, and then said, "Angemon told me that the wall would come down on its own. Is that true?"  
  
Yamato nodded. "Yes, it is. You consented to all this when you landed in that dimension."  
  
"And did they tell me about you?"  
  
Yamato sighed softly, showing for the first time some hesitation. "No, they didn't." He said finally. "You were told the whole story though and the reason for that block. I will reveal parts of that story now but as to your block, that, you will have to discover on your own."  
  
"And will I discover this before or after we fight to the death." Takeru smirked slightly at the look on Yamato's face. This move was perhaps a bit risky but he wanted to see the true character of this man and he could only do that by keeping him off balance. The previous comment had made him hesitant and Takeru was determined to capitalize on it.  
  
"Premature," Yamato said softly, his eyes locked with Takeru's. For the two of them, it was as if everybody else had ceased to exist.  
  
Takeru shrugged. "I've never been a man that responded well to threats or ultimatums."  
  
"I had not forgotten, little brother. In any case, what I told you was not a threat or an ultimatum. I was telling the plain truth."  
  
Takeru had to admit that the man was calm. He hadn't gotten angry or defensive which was a point in his favor. Whoever he was, he'd be a formidable opponent. This problem raised its own concerns though.  
  
*Ahem,* Tai coughed loudly bringing their attention back to the group of people gathered around them. "Would one of you care to explain?"  
  
"Not particularly," Takeru said quietly. "Now, you were talking about the elders. Who are they?"  
  
Before Tai or anyone else could respond, Yamato began speaking again. "The Elders are a group of beings that preserve order among the many worlds out there. They are the closest thing to God you'll find in all the multiverse. And," he looked around the table, "they created us."  
  
The statement caused a visible stir around the table.  
  
"What do you mean?" The ever-curious Koushirou questioned.  
  
Yamato looked around the table again, gauging everybody's reactions. There were quite a few frowns among the group but acceptance was coming fairly quick. That surprised him since he'd expected them to be a little more shocked. It was almost as if the years of hardship had desensitized the people in this room. Which was probably true considering all they'd been through. It was sometimes easy to forget that they were all in their early to middle twenties.  
  
"That is a rather long story," Yamato said finally. "Bear with me as I start from the very beginning. Firstly," he glanced towards Koushirou, "you were right all those years ago when you theorized about multiple dimensions out there with multiple worlds. There is a veritable multiverse out there with different versions of Earth. A very long time ago much of this multiverse was connected through rifts or gateways. There was trade and travel between a multitude of worlds and even a governing council made up of diplomats from the various worlds. Like all good things though, there was an end. It came in the form of a race of beings called the Valeru. Nobody knew where they came from since the multiverse was such a vast place. All anybody ever knew was their first appearance and the destruction that followed afterwards. The Valeru were anti-life itself and ripped through the various dimensions like wildfire. A coalition of worlds quickly formed against them and managed to drive them back. In their rage at the wanton destruction of so many worlds, the armies killed nearly every single Valeru but one. He managed to escape them and hid himself. After the Valeru were defeated, there was an era of peace and rebuilding. During this period, a force was created to protect the worlds from ever going through such a threat. This force was sort of an early warning defense thing that kept an eye on all of the worlds.  
  
All went well for a while until the last remaining Valeru showed up again. Everybody had believed him dead but he resurfaced nearly three hundred years after the destruction of his race. He released a plague that nearly wiped out every human on the various different Earths. There was no cure found for the plague and the infected worlds were cordoned off to prevent it from spreading. The Valeru was captured as he attempted to escape one such world. He was brought before the council, convicted for treason but they did not want to kill him since he was the last of his race. They opened a rift and locked him away in a relatively deserted world. That was our world." Yamato looked around the table again gauging reactions. Everybody sat focused on the story he was telling. He could see they were holding their questions for later.  
  
"However, they needed a force to guard him and they sent some of their own to this world to colonize it. Those were the first humans and they acquitted themselves much as how our race has always acquitted itself, with death and destruction. You see, the Earth was not as deserted as the council had thought. There was a race there, a peace-loving race that was easily converted by the Valeru. We had to kill them off completely."  
  
"Homo-Neandarthalsis," Koushirou blurted out, wonder written on his features.  
  
Yamato nodded. "Yes, that is what scientists termed them when they found their fossils years later. You are among the few humans that are privy to their fate. Even the Guardians don't know their history. However, we're getting ahead of ourselves here. Where was I..." He paused thinking back. "Oh yes, the war. The humans sent by the council managed to defeat the Valeru's forces and locked him away using the arcana of Earth. However, their own forces were seriously depleted and their technology decimated. As a result, they lost all contact with the other worlds. Meanwhile, in the multiverse, another threat occupied the attention of the council. This time though the threat was from within. The general populace of all the worlds had grown tired of the conflict and they had been outraged by the council's decision to lock up the Valeru and not execute him altogether. As a result of such unrest, many member worlds decided to restrict themselves to their own universe and forego trying the multiverse approach. Of the thousand or so worlds that had once occupied the multiverse, there were only a handful left. Before more could fall away, a scientist on the council came up with a daring plan. He gathered like-minded individuals like himself and located a world whose time moved a lot faster then the time in the other worlds. This scientist's plan was to create a race of highly evolved beings that could more effectively guard the multiverse. As experiments went, it was a highly ambitious undertaking. And despite the fast moving time in that world, it still took hundreds of thousands of years of regular time before the experiment even began producing results and twice that before this race arrived at their desired level of evolution. They called themselves the Elders.  
  
In the interim time, the multiverse had broken up completely. However, with the high number of worlds out there, an authority was needed and the Elders decided that they were to be that authority. Their first order of business was to find the world where they had banished the lone Valeru. Even for them though, this proved very difficult. A stable rift required participants on both sides and the humans on Earth had long ago lost all such technology in their war with the Neanderthals. After a long time, they did manage to finally locate the Earth. The Valeru had not been complacent in all that time though. He had managed to escape his prison quite a few times and had clashed with the humans again and again. Both sides used the arcana of Earth against each other, however, with the Elders' arrival and the use of technology again, they were finally able to contain the Valeru and locked him away in a city which later sank beneath the sea. That Valeru, my friends, is called Cthulhu, the Undersea Master."  
  
"You still haven't answered how these Elders created us." Ken spoke softly, breaking the silence that had taken hold at the end of Yamato's oration. "And what do you mean by the arcana of Earth?"  
  
"Those two questions merit another long explanation. As to the arcana," Yamato smiled at Takeru, "you little brother will be pleased to know that your theory was proceeding in the right direction."  
  
"You mean it's magic?" Koushirou blurted out.  
  
Takeru looked at him in surprise but then his expression cleared. "Oh, Iori must have sent you that entire folder of mine." A slight hesitant tone entered his voice. "What did you think of my argument?"  
  
"I thought it was a little out there." Koushirou admitted with a laugh. "Now, I'm not too sure. You made a pretty good case but since you couldn't prove that magic actually existed, your theory remained just that, a theory."  
  
Takeru nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, that was the one problem." He turned towards Yamato. "So, if magic is real, what happened to it?"  
  
"Well firstly, let me regale you with a bit of a scientific explanation. Now, energy is energy, it is there for us to use in any way we can. Back in the olden days of Earth, it was possible for humans to actually tap into this energy through rituals such as sacrifices or the more mundane casting of spells. Nowadays, they tap into this energy using science, which is often called the arcana of the natural world. So, the world hasn't lost magic but we've been forced to tap into it another way. The more personal method is long gone and that's because of a great cataclysm seven hundred years ago. Cthulhu, in an attempt to escape his prison, caused a catastrophe that managed to strip people on Earth of their ability to tap into this energy. The resulting shockwaves created two pocket dimensions that existed close to Earth. These two dimensions are the Digital World and the Dark Ocean. Because these two dimensions are composed of what was essentially Earth's energy, it was possible for us to travel here by utilizing the same energy through science. For instance, using the computers to open gateways that led here. The cities, the temples, the structures that we've found all over this world, they are the artifacts of a bygone age. As for the digimon, they are the demons and beasts from the legends of Earth.  
  
Now that you know about the magic, you need to know about us. We are, all of us, creations of the Elders. After the Elders had found this dimension again, they discovered that the remnants of the forces they had sent here had nearly taken over the whole planet. However, only a select group among this new colony of humans knew of their ultimate purpose. You see, as the original colony had grown and kept growing, many had lost sight of their ultimate purpose. In any case, after several millennia, who could blame them? This lone group of humans was hardpressed to hold Cthulhu captive and there were many instances where the Valeru escaped and caused much death and destruction. These catastrophes were always covered up by that one group of humans since the greater host of humanity could not be brought into the equation. After so many years of evolution and development of culture, it would have only worsened the situation causing widespread panic and hysteria. To help this group of humans who called themselves the Guardians, the Elders made us. Delving into the energy of the universe, they created ten souls. Us Chosen were those souls."  
  
"You said ten," Daisuke suddenly interjected. "I count nine with the inclusion of Ken. Who is the tenth?"  
  
"The tenth soul was held in reserve. He became the Champion of the Elders. Traveling from dimension to dimension, he keeps an eye on the various different worlds for them." Yamato glanced at Ken. "The original eight of us thought that we were the first ones to come to this world. However, you had already been here, hadn't you Ken? When Milleniumon first made his appearance, you came to this world and met one other traveler, Ryo Akiyama. He was the tenth soul."  
  
Ken frowned. "That was when I was infected with the Dark Spore. However, the person I met was only a boy, barely older then myself."  
  
"He can disguise his appearance. They probably decided that you should not learn about him that early. The trials of our group were next but because you had been infected by evil, you were kept from us. The evil needed to be released and then healed and that's why we ran across you much later when you had styled yourself the Digimon Kaiser."  
  
"What about us?" Iori questioned, frowning. "Where do Miyako, myself and Daisuke fit into this?"  
  
Yamato smiled. "I will get to that but first I need to explain a bit more about the Chosen. We were created for the express purpose of leadership and to act as Cthulhu's jailors. When he begins to break free of his bonds, we are reborn. This cycle has been going on and on for several millennia. We always lock him up and he always escapes. However, this time will be different. After the cataclysm seven hundred years ago, the Elders debated long and hard. They finally decided that an ending had to be written in this long story. At one point they thought that Cthulhu might reform, that intelligence could win out over hatred but that doesn't seem to be an option anymore. There will be a final battle and I've been told to inform you that we are to kill him." Pausing for effect, Yamato let the words sink in. "Now, because of the great cataclysm, humans could not tap into energy so we were given crests. They are an external way of tapping into this energy. On top of that we have our powers. Those were imbued in us by the Elders. Depending upon the strength of the person, those powers manifest themselves accordingly. The first one to exhibit these powers was Hikari, then you little brother and Ken. Afterwards, when we entered our mid teens, we all began showing signs. In some instances they almost killed us and we were in danger of being exposed to the general public. That is where you three come in." Gazing at Miyako, Iori and Daisuke, he continued, "You three are humans with the spark of greatness. There is only a handful born every era. The Elders viewed it as an omen when you three were born so close to one another and at relatively the same time. When it became clear that your destinies were to intertwine with the Chosen, they contacted the Guardians and you were taken into the group. It was beneficial because when our powers flared out of control, you were the three humans among the many we could trust to hold our secret. You proved yourselves invaluable in battle and for other purposes as well." Yamato looked around the table, meeting everybody's eyes. "And that is the whole of it, my friends."  
  
There was silence then as everybody sat thinking over Yamato's words. Taichi was the first to break the silence. "Why don't these Elders just take care of Cthulhu themselves?"  
  
Yamato laughed at that. "Since when has life been that easy for us. They could kill him but they see themselves as too civilized for that. So, we're left to pick up the slack and lead the forces of humanity we've assembled into battle. The problem was created by humans and the Elders no longer consider themselves humans. Therefore, humans have to deal with this problem themselves. The only concession the Elders made were us Chosen."  
  
"In which case, I guess we'd better get started." Sora said quietly, rising to her feet. "I have already told this to Tai but you should all hear it. Yesterday, the Seona Outpost on Igniz was destroyed completely." She quickly ran over the events of the past day. "The most disturbing thing though was that they had my flight coordinates. Those are kept confidential and are only available to officials that place pretty high in our Governments. The only conclusion is that we've been infiltrated somehow and I'm not talking about Bakemon this time."  
  
"This situation on Igniz disturbs me," Tai said glancing around the War Table. "The way those Bakemon infiltrated and killed off everybody in the Seona outpost speaks of an inside job." He paused, letting his words sink in. "This makes the mission we were considering, even more important. We need to infiltrate the Undersea City. Unfortunately, whoever we send will be going in blind as we have woefully little intelligence on the city."  
  
Takeru sighed inwardly. It seemed the time had come for him to reveal his involvement in the current problem. He wondered how everybody would take the news that he was responsible for releasing the Undersea Master from the wards they had placed over his realm. However, maybe he would be allowed to correct the problem and redeem himself.  
  
"Uh, hold on a second," Takeru said interrupting Tai. "You have one thing wrong. I have been to the Undersea City."  
  
The comment earned him one or two gasps, a handful of frowns and even a scowl or two. Considering the relative ease with which the group had taken all prior news, their reactions caused him no small amount of amusement. It seemed that he had not lost his ability to surprise people. Hikari's grip on his hand though had tightened painfully. He didn't look at her, keeping his eyes fixed on Tai instead.  
  
"Explain." The order didn't come from Tai.  
  
Takeru turned towards Yamato, who appeared to be one of the few scowling at him. "I'm surprised big brother. You were in my head for so long and you didn't know anything about this?"  
  
"All the more reason for you to explain yourself."  
  
"Well, as you probably know, when I went to the Guardians, Gennai mandated me with hunting down Rogues. I did my best but after the downfall of Sumeragi's network, many of them had gone into hiding. I got to thinking about how Sumeragi was connected with the Dark Ocean. Plus, we had so little intelligence on the Undersea Master. We didn't even know whether he was a he or a she. So, I decided to pay the Dark Ocean a visit."  
  
"The city is underwater. How did you get in?"  
  
"A little planning goes a long way Koushirou. I had many contacts in those days and I called in a few favors. An Armadimon was easy to find. My plan, initially, was to evolve the Digimon into Submarimon and do some recon but when I got there, I decided to be a little more daring."  
  
"You idiot," Yamato hissed. "Do you realize just how much of this is your fault?"  
  
"Probably all of it," Takeru admitted, sighing. "I thought I could get in and out without being noticed. Apparently, I was wrong. In my own defense though, knowing what we know now, we would have had to face this situation sooner or later."  
  
"That doesn't excuse anything," Tai said. "However, go on with your story. All we know of the city is that it's underwater and self-contained. Other then that, all we have are some thermal images from a spy cam we managed to send down there."  
  
"I'm surprised you got that far. Anyways, I made a small hole in the wards you guys had placed on the Dark Ocean, enough to slip a small portal through. It dropped me on that lone beach from so long ago. I hid out in the abandoned lighthouse, observing for nearly a month. In the end, I didn't need the Armadimon because there were humans there. They came up every now and then to check on the wards. One day, a lone human came up and I took him captive. I broke him quickly, bundled him aboard his craft and we traveled down to the city. Once inside, I crashed the craft, killing the pilot and disappeared into the population. Remaining hidden was a chore though but I managed to pull it off. It helped that the city was huge and filled with humans. I stayed there for five months learning everything about the structure and daily rituals that went on in that city. There's a lot that I know and I think that it would be for the best if I went in."  
  
Her nails were digging into the palm of his hand now. Thankfully, Hikari did not say anything although he knew that he would have to explain it all to her in private. It wasn't something he was looking forward to.  
  
"You... don't have to go in," Tai said hesitantly. "All you have to do is provide our scouts with what you know."  
  
It was as graceful an exit as he would be allowed. Unfortunately, he was not going to take it.  
  
"I know you well enough to know how you operate Tai. I'm betting your scouts are ready to leave by tomorrow. There is too little time for me to coach them effectively. I'm the best you've got at the moment and my chances of getting in and out are better then most."  
  
"There is one problem," Jyou spoke causing all eyes to swing in his direction. "Your crest is one of the most powerful among our group. If you go in, you'll be detected for sure."  
  
Wordlessly, Takeru raised his hand and concentrated. There was a sparkle of light and suddenly the tattoo of the Crest of Hope in his palm was gone. In its place was the actual runic carving of the Crest. Takeru held it out and then merged it back into his palm again.  
  
"I can go in without the crest," he said quietly. "Now then," he looked around the table, "if that's the last of the objections, let's discuss this mission. How exactly were you planning to sneak a person inside the City?"  
  
Tai was the first to recover. "I hope you know what you're doing Takeru. The removal of the crest will drastically reduce your powers."  
  
"But I'll still have enough to make my chances of survival better than anybody else's."  
  
That seemed to settle Tai. "All right," he nodded, "however we will take one extra precaution. We were planning on sending four people in, but now we'll only send in two."  
  
This didn't sit well with Takeru. "This is a bad idea, Tai. I don't need someone to look after."  
  
"The guy I'm sending with you is one of our top agents."  
  
"All the more reason that he stay behind. If things do get dicey, I'd rather we not lose someone at my expense." He looked around the table. "I'm trying to minimize our losses."  
  
"You're not doing us any favors if you don't come back with adequate intelligence." Daisuke said from his place beside Ken.  
  
Hikari chose that moment to speak up. "I agree. Two people stand a better chance then just one."  
  
"Good," Tai responded. "Let's put this to a vote, aye for, nay against." Eleven voices chorused 'Aye.' "The Aye's have it. You'll do this our way."  
  
Takeru sighed. "This is a mistake but if you all agree, I will abide by the decision."  
  
"Good," Tai glanced at everybody again. "In light of this latest development, I will have to restructure my plans. Takeru, come to this room early tomorrow and your minder and I will fill you in on how this mission will go down. Till then, you're all dismissed."  
  
"Minder?" Takeru questioned indignantly. That caused a few snickers but then he'd wanted it to. Unfortunately, it did nothing for Hikari's disposition. Her face set, she practically dragged him back to their quarters. Once there, he was shoved unceremoniously onto a small sofa as she started pacing.  
  
"Why?" She asked suddenly, her back to him.  
  
A flippant response rose to his tongue but he quashed the impulse. This definitely was not the time. "I wanted to make up for my past mistake. The destruction of the wards, all this, is my fault. I want to make it right."  
  
"And it has nothing to do with your new duties on Sever?"  
  
He briefly considered lying but decided against it. She would see through it easily. "It is part of it but a very small part." He wished he could see her face.  
  
"So, to avoid your duties to me, you're going to go gallivanting off. Do you know how dangerous this mission is? What if you get captured?"  
  
"Well, worst case scenario, they'll kill me." He knew the moment the words escaped his mouth that he had said the worst possible thing he could say at that moment. Her shoulders stiffened visibly, her back ramrod straight.  
  
"I see." Her voice was icy. "I thought your life had begun to mean more to you. Apparently, I was wrong."  
  
Takeru rose to his feet, walked up to her and embraced her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. "I won't blame you for wanting to beat me up right now. Even I want to kick my own ass after that comment."  
  
"You promised you wouldn't leave me again," Hikari whispered quietly.  
  
There was little he could say to that. He had promised after all.  
  
"I..." Takeru hesitated, uncertain of what to say. "I will come back. It won't be like last time."  
  
"What did Yamato say to you?"  
  
The question was completely unexpected. He hadn't even seen it coming. Not for the first time he wondered how she could read and anticipate him this well. He considered lying again but knew that wouldn't get him anywhere. The truth was likely to upset her even more and he didn't want her mixed up in whatever game was being played here. The less she knew, the safer she would be.  
  
"Takeru," she said quietly. "Answer the question."  
  
"I... I can't."  
  
She twisted around in his arms, looking him in the eyes. "Is it because of what he said that you're going on this mission?"  
  
Oh damn, she'd figured it out. And she probably wasn't going to take kindly to the fact that he'd meant to keep this from her. The plain truth was that he was going on this mission because he had lost to that fraud. It had been a wake up call of sorts. The world was a hard and dangerous place, and that was even truer if you were one of their group. He was nothing as he was now. There were skills at his disposal that he needed desperately to know were still there. He would not have any way of honing those skills if he stayed behind. In the end, he needed this mission but she would never agree to it if she knew the reasons. And she had enough power over him to make him stay if she chose to.  
  
"Takeru?" The tone of command in her voice was unmistakable. She wanted an answer and she wanted it now. He made his first mistake that night by deciding to lie to her.  
  
"He didn't say anything important. It's not because of him that I'm going."  
  
Hikari's arms came around his neck, pulling his head down and forward until their brows were touching. Staring into her eyes, he could tell she hadn't bought the lie.  
  
"Let me tell you," she whispered softly, her eyes flashing angrily, "what I think happened. Your reunion with your brother didn't go as well as any one of us thought. In the War Room you said something about a fight to the death with him. Are you going on this mission to prove to yourself that you haven't grown soft, that your skills haven't deteriorated?"  
  
He would have almost suspected her of reading his mind if he hadn't known better. As it was, apart from a fairly intuitive leap, she had pieced it together very well.  
  
"I... uh... I really shouldn't lie to you."  
  
"No you shouldn't," she replied with some feeling. "Now tell me all of it."  
  
"I..." The words stuck in his throat. "Hikari... I... can't."  
  
"Why?"  
  
Takeru closed his eyes, thinking back. 'There's a monster inside you little brother, a monster that desires the death and destruction of everything in this world.' He was half afraid that statement might come true and he didn't even want to think how Hikari would react to it.  
  
"Hikari," he spoke, turning his head away, "please don't make me do this."  
  
"Will you always be left doubting my feelings?"  
  
Her eyes had softened, filled with sadness. He hated this, having to hurt her. It seemed like it was all he ever did, had done since he was fourteen. Even now, when it should have been perfect, this came up. Sighing softly, he leaned back a little and told her all of it. Afterwards, there was silence. Unable to meet her gaze, he turned away.  
  
"How much forgiveness in your heart is there, Hikari?" He asked bitterly, finally breaking the silence. "You should have stayed with Daisuke. It would have been best for..."  
  
She whirled him around and pressed her lips against his, effectively silencing him. His eyes widened in surprise, staring into hers as her arms came around his neck, drawing him closer. There was a wealth of emotions in her eyes and he could have stayed in that position forever, trying to decipher them but she pulled back breaking contact with him.  
  
"You can be such a fool sometimes." She admonished gently. "I've told you before that I am the last person that will give up on you."  
  
"There's still the matter of what he said. Hikari..." He hesitated knowing how badly she was going to take this next part. "I want you to stay out of this situation."  
  
Her expression immediately grew defiant. "You know I won't do that."  
  
"This is dangerous Hikari and it is something I have to handle myself." He looked down at her, meeting her gaze levelly. "I want you to promise me that you'll stay out of it."  
  
"Takeru..." This time she was the one who turned away. "You know I can't do that. We've protected each other ever since all this stuff first started. You were even prepared to give your life for mine. How can you ask me to step back when the stakes are so high?"  
  
"You can't protect me from everything. That's something you'll have to accept with this situation. He threatened me by saying that the Protectors would back him and I believed that. It also means that the man has some serious power behind him. Whatever game is being played here, is dangerous. I don't want you mixed up in it."  
  
Her face took on a stubborn caste he knew all too well. "I'm not going to back down from this position, Takeru."  
  
"I'm trying to protect you." He knew he'd made another mistake the minute the words left his mouth.  
  
Hikari rolled her eyes. "Weren't you the one that just said that I couldn't protect you from everything? Well, the same applies here." She jabbed him in the chest with her finger. "Make no mistake; this isn't a decision I'm going to let you make for me. You need me for whatever is coming."  
  
He scowled at her, knowing that he had lost the argument. She was right in a way; he couldn't ask her to stay out of this using the pretense that he was protecting her. Still, there was one way he could keep her out of harm's way. "All right, I won't ask you to stay out of it but I will ask that you do not seek a confrontation with... him."  
  
"Of course not," she said softly. "It would be pretty foolish under the circumstances. What would you have me do though?"  
  
"Contact Gennai," he said immediately. "He will know something about this situation and if he's reluctant to share information, tell him that the request comes from me. I've done a lot for that old man. It should give you some leverage."  
  
Hikari nodded. "There's still the question of why you're going though. I don't agree with your reasons."  
  
"There isn't an answer I can give that is likely to satisfy you. My reasons are what they are." He looked at her almost hesitantly for a moment. "I need to do this Hikari. I guess I just need something tangible, something for who I am now."  
  
"You shouldn't though. It should be enough that I love you."  
  
"How can it be enough after everything I put you through?"  
  
"Are still putting me thorough."  
  
Takeru closed his eyes, leaning heavily against her. That was, unfortunately, very true.  
  
"I... I'm sorry." Hikari murmured softly.  
  
"No, don't be," Takeru whispered into her shoulder. "You're right. I should have run all this by you first. If you don't want me to go, I can still back down."  
  
"You know that's not possible anymore. You had your chance to back out."  
  
"Tai is reasonable and I'm pretty sure I've still got some goodwill left over from handing you guys the prophecy."  
  
"Save it," Hikari leaned back, looking into his eyes again. "I'm sure I can find a better way to use it."  
  
Takeru smiled at her. "So, does that mean you're letting me go."  
  
"Yes," Hikari said softly, "however, I'm still very angry with you. One thing I'm not going to let you do is take me for granted. So, you're going to make this up to me and it's going to have to be in a big way."  
  
Takeru looked at her warily. "What exactly are you planning?"  
  
"Something big," she replied mysteriously. "I'll tell you when you get back from this foolishness you're about to embark on."  
  
"Ok, I guess that is fair enough," Takeru said, sighing. "The mystery should keep me intrigued in the upcoming months."  
  
Hikari suddenly stepped forward, backing him up until the back of his knees hit the sofa. She pushed down until he was seated then climbed onto his lap.  
  
"Now," she spoke, staring down at him, "you'll be gone for a while so I want one last night to remember you before you leave."  
  
"But I have to be up ear..."  
  
He didn't get any further as she leaned down and pressed her lips tightly against his, effectively silencing him. He opened his mouth, his tongue darting out to meet hers and she pushed her mouth hard against his, driving his head back in the sofa. Her tongue pushed his back, plunging into his mouth, claiming it possessively. It was always like this with her. Her domineering nature always caused her to be the aggressor in their lovemaking. He usually gave into it, letting her take control but resolved to make this time different.  
  
Pushing back hard against her, he rose from the sofa. Her legs instinctively tightened around his waist. He could tell that he had surprised her from the way she looked at him. There was a flash of amusement in her eyes as she gazed into his own, their mouths still locked together, tongues wrestling for dominance. Her voice suddenly sounded in his head, 'It's so nice to see you showing some initiative however, you know you won't win. I'll have you screaming my name before we're through.' There was really only one way to respond to that. He drove her backwards, slamming her against a wall. Mouths still locked together, their teeth clashed. It was an interesting mixture of pleasure and pain.  
  
He could tell that he had surprised her but it didn't last long. Her hands came up and tangled in his hair. She twisted sideways in a brutal fashion, tilting his head. It gave her enough leverage to push his tongue back again. He tried to move his head but found that he couldn't. She was pulling especially hard on his hair and he knew that if he tried to force her hands away, they would take a significant portion of his hair with them. Her legs squeezed tightly around his waist as she tilted his head back, hungrily devouring his mouth. There was an almost inaudible whimper and he realized that it was coming from himself. He looked into her eyes and saw an almost feral intensity there. If this kept up, she was going to end up making him back down again.  
  
Bringing his arms up, he clawed at her jacket and then the black tanktop underneath. Using a little bit of matter transformation, he ripped the fabric off her body. It was sloppy but he didn't have much time. She gasped, her back arching off the wall, as he ripped off her bra and set to work on her breasts. Her fingers in his hair loosened and she released him from her liplock, gasping into his shoulder. His head free, he lowered it to her breasts. She moaned loudly, her hands tangling in his hair again, pushing his face closer to her chest. He became so caught up in that endeavor that he didn't notice her legs unclasp from around his waist. Suddenly, he was falling backwards as she tripped him. The back of his head collided with the floor, stunning him momentarily. Given time, he would have recovered but in the next instant, 160 pounds of trim female muscle landed on his chest knocking the breath out of his lungs. Roughly, she tore at his clothing in the same way he'd done to her. He tried to raise his head only to have her lean down and kiss him brutally. She pushed hard against his mouth and the back of his head hit the floor, stunning him again. There was a thick metallic taste in his mouth and he could tell that one of them was bleeding. He tried to focus and looked straight into her crimson brown eyes. It almost seemed like they were glowing with intensity. There was a promise written there that made him tremble in spite of himself.  
  
Hikari felt his body quiver slightly underneath her and smiled inwardly. It was almost over. She brought her hands into play, running them up and down his body, teasing and caressing him where he was most sensitive. He writhed under her touch, small whimpers coming from his throat.  
  
He had really surprised her this night. Usually all she had to do to let him know she was taking control was kiss him like she had kissed him and he fell in line fairly quick. Tonight, he'd actually put up somewhat of a struggle. On any other night, she might have even relented and let him take control but not tonight. She needed this night to teach him a lesson. A momentary thought was spared to wonder if she was being a little bit too cruel but she discarded it immediately. It had been his decision to leave her. He had forced her hand really. She had planned to take this process slowly but unfortunately, she only had one night now. Tonight, she intended to bend him to her will, making him hers mind, body and soul. He would never forget her again.  
  
She didn't notice his hands until the last moment and by then it was too late. He pulled on her braid, forcing her head back. He had recovered faster then she had expected him to. It seemed there was a lot more fight left in him. She should have known that he wouldn't go that easily. That was all right with her though. When she finally broke him; it would be completely. He yanked hard on her braid forcing her to the side and rolling on top of her. She fought back and they rolled on the floor, clawing at each other's remaining clothing.  
  
He wasn't going to make her back down. She wasn't going to let him beat her... oh damn, was that his hand on her thigh?  
  
______________________________  
  
Hikari purred in contentment. "That was very good." She said softly, running her hands through the hair at the nape of his neck, holding him tightly against her. "You actually had me a couple of times but you knew how it would end when we started."  
  
Takeru sighed against her shoulder. "You can't blame a guy for trying." He whispered into her ear, shifting slightly so that some of the weight would be taken off his right arm. He still hadn't worked out how she'd managed to tie both of his hands behind his back.  
  
The two lay side by side beside an overturned sofa, bodies tightly wedged together. Around them, the room looked like a disaster zone. Just about everything was in some advanced stage of damage. It was all easily fixable though, especially for people like them.  
  
Hikari chuckled. "Well, just for making it interesting, I'm going to give you one hour of sleep. You're going to need it."  
  
"That seems uncharacteristically generous." Takeru said warily. "This isn't just some ploy to get me into the bedroom, is it?"  
  
"As if I need some ploy." She muttered, grinding her body hard against his to show him the truth of her words. Moaning, he tried to push her back but had no leverage since his arms were still tied behind his back. She easily rolled him onto his back, straddling his waist.  
  
"Ok... ok," he gasped quickly. "You win, you always win."  
  
Her hand was on his throat, keeping him in place. "And don't you forget it," she breathed into his ear.  
  
Wincing, Takeru shifted around underneath her, trying to gain some leverage for his arms. "I swear one of these days, you won't make me back down."  
  
Hikari leaned up bracing her upper-body by her arms. There was a faint look of amusement on her face. "Keru, Keru, Keru," she began lightly, patting his cheek, "still so defiant after all I put you through." The deadly certainty that entered her voice next was a sharp contrast to her light tone a moment before. "You will always back down. What I did to you tonight had nothing to do with love. It had everything to do with control. I told you once that you belonged to me and I will break you as many times as I need to until you see that."  
  
Takeru gulped looking up at her. He had known she could be ruthless but this was unexpected, even by him. It also didn't help that she was giving him that same soul-searing look that had always made him hesitate. He felt something deep inside him respond to that gaze and begin to rise up in challenge. He quashed the impulse before it had a chance to manifest itself in some stupid action he'd likely end up regretting. There was a time for pride and a time for retreat. He was really in no position to challenge her anyway.  
  
A small smirk suddenly crossed Hikari's face. "Pity," she drawled. "It could have been fun."  
  
Takeru turned beet red. She had read him like an open book. Laughing softly, Hikari leaned down, brushing her lips across his. "Take the hour, Keru. You don't want to show up in front of my brother, barely able to stand."  
  
"Can you at least untie me?"  
  
Hikari giggled. "Are you sure you're tied up," she teasingly whispered into his ear. "Take another look."  
  
Takeru blinked in confusion. He didn't feel the bonds anymore. His eyes widened in understanding. "You cheat," he hissed at her. "You used your powers."  
  
Hikari laughed again. "You are so naïve when it comes to me. It really is very endearing." She sighed softly as he brought both of his arms around, holding her tightly. "Now, heal us. Neither one of us is well enough to make it to the bedroom as we are."  
  
Takeru closed his eyes. His inner aura blazed forth bathing both himself and Hikari in its healing light. The various bumps, bruises and cuts both supported, vanished quickly. It was still amazing to him how much his powers had increased. Just two years ago, it would have taken him a whole night to heal just one of them and he would have been too tired to do anything the next day. He doubted she would have been able to subdue him quite so easily back then... or maybe she could have. After all, she had walked into his mind and overwhelmed him two years ago. If she'd had power like that back then, her powers would be off the scale now. The effortless way she had slipped past his guard and planted that suggestion of bonds in his mind was proof enough of that.  
  
When they were both fully healed, he shut off his power. Hikari rose gracefully to her feet, offering him an arm up. Rolling his eyes, he took it anyway. He understood that gesture at least, even if he had misinterpreted what she'd been up to this night. Leaning against each other, because healing didn't take care of exhaustion, they made their way to the bedroom.  
  
An hour proved to be nowhere near enough time but he had survived for days on less and so, made do. Hikari shook him awake when the time came and he showered and dressed. A rather extended farewell followed next, during which she nearly managed to pull him back into bed again. He left their quarters with her laughter ringing in his ears.  
  
As he approached the main door to the War Room, he observed a stranger standing in front of the main door studying the symbols of the crests. He paused, observing the stranger. The boy had a lean build and spiky blonde hair. It appeared that his 'minder' had beaten him here.  
  
"Are you going to come forward or are you going to stand there forever?" The voice pulled him out of his thoughts and he strode forward. He'd been noticed and fairly quickly too. It was actually a point in the boy's favor. He was observant which was a good trait to have, especially in their line of work.  
  
Wordlessly, he laid a palm against the symbol of his Crest and the door slid open. He observed the boy while he did this, saw his eyes shift before he masked the expression. All in all, he was very good. It was also apparent that the Guardians had trained him. He could recognize the signs in the way he held himself, the feigned self-assurance, and the almost arrogant tilt of the head. Having him as a companion might not be so bad after all.  
  
Walking in the room, Takeru took a seat at the War Table. Silence stretched between the two men and that was fine with him for the moment. It was better they not talk to each other until Tai got here and explained everything. For the moment, neither of them could be sure of the other's position. He took the time until Tai's arrival to study the map of the world engraved on the War Table. So much had changed in just two years. Many of the old landmarks he recognized were gone. It was a side effect of matter manipulation. The Chosen had rearranged everything on the continents to give themselves tactical advantages. It was the only way they had managed to limit the Undersea Master's influence in each continent to one or two locations.  
  
"Which one are you?" The question wasn't unexpected.  
  
"Hope." Takeru replied almost absently. "You should know that having studied with the Guardians and all. Or don't they talk about me anymore?"  
  
"Oh, you're that blonde." The boy frowned for a second. "I take it you'll be going with me."  
  
Takeru nodded. "Yes."  
  
Silence enveloped the room again. The sound of the door sliding open finally broke it. Both of them looked up to see Tai walk into the room. He looked up from the batch of papers in his hand and froze upon seeing them.  
  
"Oh good, both of you are here." He walked towards the table, setting the papers down and took a seat, facing them both. He turned towards Takeru. "Well?"  
  
Takeru gave a small smile. "He's observant and he pieced together why I was here fairly quickly. In short, he'll do. Now all I need to know is a name."  
  
"You don't know?" Tai said, raising an eyebrow. "I'm surprised."  
  
"I had a... ahem, long night. There really was no time to hack into your records and divine his name."  
  
Tai grinned wryly. "She seemed pretty upset when she dragged you off. In any case, his name is Corwin. He is one of my best scouts." Tai turned towards Corwin. "As you've no doubt guessed, our plans have changed. Takeru, here, has been inside the Undersea City once before. He knows the layout and the nuances of daily life there. Unfortunately, there is not enough time to bring you up to date so he will be accompanying you."  
  
Corwin nodded, looking at Takeru. "I understand," he responded. "Do you want me to go over the mission for him?" Tai nodded and Corwin continued. "We've been at war with the Dark Ocean for almost three years. In that time, nearly everybody has picked a side in this fight except for one City." He pointed at a small speck on the Continent of Aisa. "The City of Kroy. It was an already established city but was deserted as all such cities in this world are. Three years ago, a Guardian named Michael Cain established the city as his own. A number of humans flocked to his side, including some Guardians. Cain declared hi cities neutrality in our war with the Undersea Master. Astonishingly, the city has not suffered one attack from the Dark Ocean. Because of this, we cannot attack them without risking our own credibility."  
  
Takeru studied the spot thoughtfully. "I see." He looked up at Tai. "I know this man. I investigated him when he first started. He's got some strange ideas about good and evil but we considered him harmless enough. Gennai even let him retain his Guardianship while he was colonizing the city. However, when he tried to start a rebellion inside Sanctuary, Gennai expelled him completely. We suspected he might have been rogue but nothing ever turned up."  
  
"There's still nothing." Tai frowned staring down at his reports. "The man sits in his city pandering to both sides. He has dignitaries from the Undersea Master as well as from myself. His whole city is a hotbed for recruits." He glanced up, his face set. "I want to make one thing perfectly clear. No matter what happens with the main mission, I want the man killed. There are no neutral positions in this war and without his leadership, that city will fall. However, because of his position, you will have to do it without leaving anything that is traceable to us. It would be even better if you can make it look like the work of the Undersea Master."  
  
"He has a son." Corwin sounded a little discomfited. "The boy is only five years old. I would be lying Lord Yagami if I didn't say I felt that this move was a bad idea. Cain is not an evil man."  
  
"He is, unfortunately, a liability." Takeru said, his voice soft. "I agree with Lord Yagami there. This war has no neutral positions. If you still don't fee right about this by the time we get there, I'll take care of it."  
  
Tai frowned at that. "Takeru..." he began but was silenced as Takeru held up a hand.  
  
"I was already headed towards this possibility when I first began investigating Cain. His presence is a deterrent to our efforts." An uncertain look suddenly crossed Takeru's face. "You will need to keep this from... her."  
  
"She will learn of it eventually, Takeru."  
  
"And no doubt it'll be from me," Takeru muttered wryly. "That's an argument for later though. Now explain just how you plant to get into Kroy and the Undersea City."  
  
"Getting into Kroy will be easy," Tai responded. "Corwin has been working undercover there for the past year. He's established a reputation as a freelance mercenary with his Digimon partner Leomon. There are a number of such individuals that will fight for either side provided we give them enough benefits. As you can probably guess, this plan has been in the making for a long time. Now, Corwin has been steadily making a name for himself and has a bidding war going between my own ambassador and the emissary from the Dark Ocean. We're going to let him win and place Corwin in the current batch of recruits going over to their side." Tai looked at Corwin. "Will it be any problem getting them to accept Takeru?"  
  
Corwin stroked his chin thoughtfully. "It will probably be a problem. They will do a thorough background check even if I vouch for him."  
  
"That is a problem," Tai agree, nodding his head. "Especially because of his reputation."  
  
The three mulled over the problem a bit until finally:  
  
"There may be a way," Takeru spoke. "We have two objectives here and we can integrate them. Before they can do their background check on me, I'll assassinate Cain and make it look like the work of the Undersea Master's emissary. That should throw the city into chaos and they will need to make a quick escape. Hopefully, I'll fall through the cracks."  
  
Tai frowned. "That seems a rather weak plan. What is to keep them from running these checks when you get to the City."  
  
"Two things," Takeru replied cryptically. "I will need some details first. Who runs these checks? Is it one person or more then one?"  
  
"The checks are run by a former Guardian named Kenta. He'll give you a full checkup, DNA, physical, all the good stuff. The results are entered into a database. If they match you, we're as good as dead."  
  
"They won't match me," Takeru said confidently. "I've worked missions like this before. I can draw up a fake background on my D3 and upload it into their database. As for the checkup, Kitagawa, Kenta will die rather unfortunately in the chaos after Cain's death."  
  
Tai sighed softly. "Corwin, would you excuse us please." He said quietly. "You can begin preparations for your journey."  
  
Corwin hesitated but then bowed and left the room. Tai rose from his chair. "Your whole plan depends upon two deaths." He continued in the same quiet tone. "After all you've been through, are you sure you can do this? You've tried to bury your past. I fear letting you do this will undo that and drive you further from us. It is not something I wish to put Hikari through again."  
  
Takeru chuckled softly. "Hesitation does not suit you Tai. You should order me to do this and be done with it. In a war, every tool has its place. My skills are an asset here that you can't ignore. As for Hikari, she is perhaps the one person I would never dare cross. And that's especially true now."  
  
"All right, assuming I let you go through with this, what is your secondary plan?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Don't play the fool with me," Tai admonished. "We've got information from the Guardians' main database. I've been going over some of your past exploits, the documented ones anyway." He said pointing towards the sheaf of documents he had brought with him. "You're right, you skills are something I can't ignore and it's clear from the reports that you always have something to fall back on. What is it?"  
  
"I'd rather not say." Takeru quickly held up both hands, stopping Tai's retort. "Let me explain." When Tai nodded, he continued, "You believe someone has infiltrated us. I believe that your plan will fail. The fact that it has been in the works for so long only deepens that suspicion of mine. I have a contingency plan in case my suspicions are right but you will have to trust me to carry it out as I see fit."  
  
Tai closed his eyes, sighing. "I understand your position but I have concerns of my own. You will need to be extracted and I can't ensure anything if I don't know what you're planning."  
  
"It all depends on how much you trust me, Tai. If my suspicions are true, then any plans you have won't matter in the long run." Takeru rose up from his seat. "I plan to come back alive from this."  
  
"All right," Tai finally conceded. "However, the moment you return, I'll expect a full report."  
  
"Of course," Takeru bowed his head. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to go find Angemon. I take it, Corwin and I will be leaving this afternoon."  
  
Tai nodded. "Yes, it will take you two days to get to Aisa and an additional day to journey to the city on foot."  
  
"Good, that should give Angemon more than enough time." Takeru shook his head at Tai's questioning look. "Don't ask."  
  
Shrugging, Tai sank down into his chair. "I'm placing a lot of trust in you, Takeru. Don't disappoint me."  
  
Takeru merely nodded and exited the room. He checked to make sure he had his D3 and then made his way towards the compound, the Digimon were staying in. Being close to their human partners most of the time, the Digimon chose gatherings like this to get away and spend some time among themselves. For Patamon and Gabumon especially, this gathering was extremely important. As he approached the single room where they were all staying, he heard the sound of loud snoring coming from within. Opening the door, he saw eleven rookie level Digimon gathered around the body of a twelfth.  
  
"He still snores as loudly as ever," Gabumon was saying with a slight chuckle. He looked up as the door opened and called out solemnly, "Hello Takeru."  
  
Patamon immediately flapped over to him, landing on top of his head. "Is anything wrong?"  
  
Takeru smiled, rolling his eyes upwards. "No, nothing is wrong. However, we have to cut our stay here a little short and I need to talk to Angemon. You should take some time to say your goodbye's."  
  
"I've already said them." He said, staring down at him. Takeru could just barely make out his face. "Wormmon learned from Ken last night that you would be leaving in the morning."  
  
"Ok then," Takeru said looking back at the gathered Digimon. "We'll see you guys later then."  
  
There was a chorus of goodbyes as he left the room. He traversed several hallways before coming to one which, he was certain, was fairly secure. As he waited for Patamon to transform, he thumbed a switch on his D3. It activated a jamming frequency he had programmed into the device, ages ago. Thankfully, it still worked and knocked out the lone camera in the hallway.  
  
"Ok, listen quick," he said turning to Angemon and passing him his D3. "I'm going back to the Undersea City. On the D3 are three locations. At the first two are some old contacts. Go to the first one and offer him a contract from me. The details are in the D3. Convince him to accept the contract, if necessary. Then, you're to go to the second location and tell the Ogremon to rendezvous with me at the outskirts of the City of Kroy. That is the third location on the D3." The camera hummed back on. "That's all, old friend." Takeru said cheerfully, starting forward. Angemon followed behind him.  
  
"What's the time frame?" Angemon mouthed quietly.  
  
"Three days till I reach Kroy." Takeru replied from the corner of his mouth.  
  
"That's cutting it a bit close."  
  
"I know. If it was up to me, you'd have left last night but I was... busy."  
  
"I will have to go as Seraphimon and leave as soon as possible." Angemon turned towards a side corridor. "Is there anything else?"  
  
Takeru removed his crest. "Take this with you. It should give you some extra power." He turned fully towards Angemon. "I'm sorry to do this now old friend. You haven't had near enough time to catch up with the others."  
  
Angemon smiled, laying a hand on Takeru's shoulder. "I had enough time, all things considered. In any case, I better start off now."  
  
Takeru watched him go, than headed towards the hangar bay. He estimated there were still two hours before he had to leave but he wanted to check up on how the preparations for their journey were going. It would have been more prudent to go back to his quarters and rest but he knew that resting was the last thing Hikari would let him do. She might have let him go but that didn't mean she was any less angry with him. If he went back to her, all he would get was another one of her lessons and he didn't feel up to handling that right now. It was regrettable. As much as she said she trusted him, there would always be a part of her that remembered him hurting and leaving her one rainy night. And it wasn't like his actions were inspiring any trust. He would have to make it up to her in a big way when he got back and he had a small inkling of what she was planning. Grinning, he opened the door to the hangar bay. He couldn't wait to see the expression on Tai's face when they made the announcement.  
  
_____________________________  
  
4 Hours Later  
  
"You look terrible," Tai commented, studying Hikari as he laid his palm against the Crest of Courage.  
  
"Long night," Hikari replied, concealing a yawn behind her hand. "What's all this about?"  
  
Tai shrugged as the door slid open. "I suspect Sora will tell us in due time."  
  
Inside the room, Sora and Miyako stood at the War Table, conversing in hushed tones. Both looked up as Tai and Hikari stepped into the room.  
  
"We've got a problem," Sora said immediately. She slid a small notebook across the table towards Tai and Hikari. "Turn to the last page and read the entry."  
  
Tai picked up the small journal and flipped to the last page, Hikari peeking over his shoulder. After he was finished, he took a moment to absorb the information.  
  
"The emissary from Alecrast?" He questioned, looking up and meeting Sora's eyes.  
  
Sora nodded slowly. "Yes, only there wasn't one. Any envoys are supposed to come through our city first and Miyako did not know of any that came from Alecrast. I contacted Lee early this morning and he didn't know of any either."  
  
"And I suppose you didn't call Jyou and Koushirou because you suspect one of them might be involved in this." Tai slumped into a chair. "I don't think I need to tell you how unsettled this makes me."  
  
Hikari took the chair next to her brother's. "You're not the only one. However, let's not jump to immediate conclusions just yet. Why do you suspect them Sora?"  
  
"You know as well as I do that such envoys carry official documents that identify them. For these documents to be forged alone is a serious cause of concern. However, they have to be issued from pretty high up. Even if it's not Jyou or Koushirou, it could be someone high up in their government."  
  
"It seems rather careless of his emissary to just tell where he was from," Hikari said rubbing her eyes. "Have you considered that he might have been lying and was trying to frame one of us so that the rest would turn on him?"  
  
"We've considered that," Miyako replied. "However, we should be careful about this. At the least, we'll have to cancel the mission to the Undersea City. There is too much at risk now."  
  
"No." The quiet tone of authority in Tai's voice was unmistakable. All three girls turned towards him in surprise. "The mission will go ahead as planned. Takeru had suspicions about this exact situation and he's taken counter measures to ensure that the mission succeeds."  
  
"Such as what?" Hikari questioned, all traces of fatigue gone from her eyes.  
  
Tai shook his head. "I have no idea. He wouldn't tell me in case that information was also jeopardized. However, I trust him and his abilities."  
  
"He's right, Hikari." Sora said gently. "We're going to have to trust Takeru to deal with this as he sees fit. As for Jyou and Koushirou, I think it would be best if we sent in a spy of our own to keep an eye on their government."  
  
"We can't send in one of our own people for obvious reasons," Miyako added. "So, we're going to have to ask for Gennai's help."  
  
Sighing, Tai nodded. "I'll send an envoy to him as soon as I get back to Aisa. The repairs on Sanctuary are almost complete, last I'd heard, so he should be able to spare someone."  
  
Hikari rose to her feet. "Well, if all this is done, I'd like to go contact Takeru." She said stiffly. "Bastard owes me an explanation." She added the last under her breath.  
  
Tai waved a hand. "Go ahead," he said distractedly, no doubt still thinking over the complexities of the situation.  
  
"I'll come with you," Miyako said, rising to her feet.  
  
"As you wish," Hikari shot over her shoulder, marching from the room.  
  
Miyako followed along after her, leaving Sora and Tai alone.  
  
"So, are you going to tell me?" Sora suddenly asked after several minutes of silence.  
  
Tai blinked, looking up, seemingly surprised that she was still there with him. "Tell you what?" He questioned slowly.  
  
"Why you've been avoiding me?"  
  
"I don't know what..."  
  
"Oh, come off it Tai," Sora snapped. "We've barely said two words to each other since I got here. I tried to find you last night but you weren't in your quarters and I know that you didn't return there for quite a while." Her eyes narrowed. "Is this because of Yamato?"  
  
Tai sighed softly, staring down at the table. "I... I made him a promise once that I wouldn't interfere between you two. Seeing him now, it just..." He trailed off.  
  
"Do you really believe I would go back to him just because he's come back?"  
  
"I wouldn't blame you." Tai muttered darkly.  
  
Frowning, Sora got up from her chair and approached Tai. He stared up at her with a small hint of apprehension as she came to stand over him. "Get up," Sora ordered.  
  
"Uh, why?" Tai asked meekly.  
  
Sora crossed her arms. "Because this'll be easier if you're standing up."  
  
Warily, Tai rose to his feet, noting again how he came just an inch short of Sora's height. Back home in Odaiba, he would have been considered fairly tall. In their group however, he was one of the shortest. Even Hikari, who he'd towered over as a child was as tall as he was now. It was patently unfair. He had been the most athletic in their group. Logic, his logic, dictated that he be the tallest but that honor belonged to Jyou of all people.  
  
Sora stepped forward, pressing up against him. He suddenly forgot all about his inadequacies as her face got closer and closer. Her eyes were deep reddish brown pools he could lose himself in. He leaned forward, bringing his arms around her waist and closing his eyes. They snapped open a moment later when she grabbed his ear and twisted hard.  
  
"Gah," he grunted, staring up at her, head bent at an awkward angle.  
  
"All right, if you ever say something like that again, I will go back to Yamato." She stared down at him. "Are you listening?"  
  
Tai rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I'm all ears."  
  
Sora scowled at him then twisted particularly hard.  
  
"Ouch," Tai yelped. "Ok, geez, I'm listening."  
  
"Good, now here's what you're going to do. Go find Yamato and talk to him. Get all this straightened out today because you've wasted enough of our time as it is." She released him and stepped back.  
  
Rubbing his ear, Tai straightened. "Now I know where Hikari gets it."  
  
Sora laughed in spite of herself. "Trust me, you wouldn't last ten minutes if I treated you the way Hikari treats Takeru."  
  
"And what is that supposed to mean?"  
  
"Oh, nothing." Stepping forward, Sora lightly brushed her lips across his. "Now get going. I'll be waiting in our quarters."  
  
______________________________  
  
Miyako studied Hikari out of the corner of her eye as the two walked towards their respective quarters. She had only ever seen her this angry twice before. It didn't bode well for Takeru.  
  
"So," she said finally breaking the silence, "what did he do this time?"  
  
"Let's not talk about that," Hikari said quietly. "I will deal with him when I see him."  
  
Miyako sighed. "Ok, so, do you think we're becoming desensitized?"  
  
Hikari blinked, glancing sideways at Miyako. "What brought this on?"  
  
"I was just thinking about everything we heard yesterday and how quickly we accepted it. It seemed wrong somehow. I think I would have been happier if someone had thrown a fit."  
  
"So, why didn't you?"  
  
"I might ask you the same thing."  
  
Hikari mouth twisted sardonically. "I've begun to tell myself to keep an open mind at all times. If you believe that the world could end tomorrow, there's very little that is likely to phase you."  
  
"That hardly seems an ideal existence."  
  
"It isn't an ideal world Miyako." Hikari sighed. "Still, I suppose I'm being a bit fatalistic. Things are not as bad as all that... at least for you guys."  
  
"You could have made him stay if you wanted it."  
  
"I could have, easily too. However, I couldn't do that to him. He believes he needs to go on this mission and as much as I disagree with his reasons, I'm not going to be the one that holds him back."  
  
Miyako nodded thoughtfully, then expression suddenly brightening, she said, "Let's get away from all this depressing talk." A mischievous twinkle entered her eyes. "So, tell me, have you discovered the advantages of taking a healer as a lover."  
  
Hikari smiled. "Yeah, now I know what you were talking about with Ken. He's got the stamina of a mule."  
  
A sudden thought occurred to Miyako. "So, enquiring minds want to know, Daisuke or Takeru?"  
  
Hikari smirked at her. "I'll answer that as soon as you get Sora to choose between Yamato and Taichi."  
  
Miyako let out a defeated sigh. "Which means never, I guess." She looked ahead where the hallway branched of into two separate corridors. "It seems I won't even be able to badger you about it. We didn't get to spend much time together this time."  
  
"When are you leaving?" Hikari questioned, stretching her arms above her head.  
  
"As soon as I find Ken and say my goodbye's. Sora wants me back in Igniz as soon as possible. I'll be setting out with Daisuke and Ken. Sora, herself, will be leaving later today as well. Mimi and Tai are also leaving early tomorrow. What about you?"  
  
"I'm going to track down Takeru, then get some sleep. Iori and I will be leaving tonight."  
  
"When this is all over, you, Sora, Mimi and myself need to get together for more then just a couple of hours."  
  
Hikari smiled. "When all this is over, we've got Sora and Tai's wedding to look forward to. We'll all get together there."  
  
"Yes, there is that." Stepping forward Miyako embraced Hikari. "Try not to be so hard on him."  
  
"I can't make any promises about that."  
  
Miyako stepped back. "Oh well, I tried." Chuckling to herself, she turned around and took the left fork in the hallway.  
  
Hikari stood silently, watching her go. Then, sighing softly, she started towards her quarters. Once inside, she went straight to bed. Closing her eyes, she hurled her mind outwards and began to track down Takeru. Luckily for her, he had only departed two hours ago and wasn't very far away. The tricky part was grabbing a hold of him while he was moving. It helped that she had placed quite a few wards in his mind that he wasn't aware of. Overtaking him didn't prove to be much of a problem. There hadn't been a machine invented that could travel as fast as human thought.  
  
A ward in his mind alerted her to the fact that he was asleep. Grinning, she delved into his mind, avoiding the various shields he'd placed to keep unwanted guests out. He'd even rearranged some of them but it was fairly easy for her to circumvent all of them. She would teach him that he wasn't safe from her, even in his own mind.  
  
Around her, the grayness of the thoughtscape faded away, being replaced by a familiar scene. She smiled, her anger at him almost disappearing. He was thinking about her.  
  
She leaned against a tree, surveying her surroundings. This was actually, a fairly accurate replica of their old school yard. She observed her younger self, sitting at a bench, a younger version of Takeru standing over her.  
  
'I care about you too much to let you just give up.'  
  
She remembered this day. Some renegade Scubamon had come for her, trying to pull her into a war against their Undersea Master. At eleven, she had been so afraid. Takeru had noticed though and in the end, had somehow managed to follow her into the Dark Ocean after she had been abducted. He had saved her and it had bound the two of them even closer to each other.  
  
Hikari surveyed her surroundings, trying to find the real Takeru. She found him standing several trees to her left, eyes fixed upon the scene. He hadn't even noticed her. She made her way towards him, just as her younger self looked up towards Takeru, beginning to ask him what he'd meant. Takeru was watching the scene with such concentration that he didn't even notice her sneaking up behind him.  
  
"Miss me?" She whispered into his ear while using her powers to freeze his body. Still, he managed to give a little jerk before her powers took effect, which caused him to fall over onto his face.  
  
Laughing, Hikari bent down and put her arms under his shoulders, hauling him up. Sitting back against a tree, she pulled him to her, her arms twining around his chest. His head came to rest on her shoulder. She gazed down looking at him.  
  
"So, I had this conversation with Tai..."  
  
He groaned softly, closing his eyes. "So soon, I thought I'd at least be further away before you found out."  
  
"When exactly were you going to tell me?"  
  
He looked almost sheepishly at her. "Um, when I got back."  
  
"Wrong answer," Hikari muttered, her hands moving down to his waist.  
  
"God Kari, didn't you get enough last night." He said in a near panicked tone. "You enjoy tormenting me entirely too much."  
  
Her head was buried in his shoulder. "I have to admit, it is fast becoming my favorite past time."  
  
"I'll tell you... *gasp* what you... hey stop that... what you want to know."  
  
Her hands paused. "Ok, begin with why you didn't tell me that you expected this mission to fail." She saw him panic briefly at the question before he masked his expression. It was too late though; she'd already seen it and had her answer. His eyes shifted again, considering and weighing his options.  
  
"I didn't think you'd let me go if you knew the risks involved." He paused suddenly. "What are you doing here anyway? It can't just be because you're angry with me."  
  
"Why not? It seems as good a reason as any other." Her hands began moving again.  
  
"You said you were talking to Tai." He said quickly. "Obviously something important came up to get you out of bed. What was it?"  
  
"Stop fishing for information, Takeru." She whispered, burying her face in his neck again. "I want you to tell me all of it and if you even think about leaving something out, I'll know."  
  
"Hikari," he groaned, "I can't."  
  
"There's that phrase again. You know I can take this information from your mind if I want. You're even more helpless against me here then you are outside. Make it easy on yourself and tell me everything concerning this mission."  
  
"Kari... be reasonable. You know that I can't give you any information. We have a leak and we don't know who it is and how he or she is getting this information. I can't give you any details. It would only end up jeopardizing the mission... and putting me in more danger."  
  
Hikari rolled her eyes. "You know trying a guilt trip on me won't work." She paused, thinking over what he'd said. "Still, I hate to admit it but you're right. It doesn't excuse you not telling me about your suspicions though."  
  
"I was trained remarkably well to handle situations just like this one, Kari." He groaned as her hands resumed their dance. "Had I been trained better as a child, I would have known what a vindictive and ungenerous woman you would turn out to be."  
  
"Oh well," she said with a laugh, "too late now."  
  
"Hikari..." Her hand clapped over his mouth. She could feel him quiver ever so slightly under her touch.  
  
"Shush," she breathed in his ear. "I told you last night the reasons for this. I had not planned on doing this part but you've left me no choice." Her hand dropped from his mouth traveling lower.  
  
Gasping, Takeru used his rapidly fleeing concentration to partition his mind. It was a process that had served him well when he was being tortured. Severing the link between his mental consciousness and his body, it had allowed him to escape some of the pain. Right now though, he was using the process to make sure that his body didn't respond to what she was about to put him through. Even as he did this, he was aware that he was only being allowed to do it because she permitted it. This was just another demonstration of the level of control she could exert over him if she chose to.  
  
Some time later:  
  
"Do you think me cruel?" She asked, running her hands through his hair.  
  
"Is that a trick question?" He murmured softly. "I don't think I can handle another one of your lessons just yet."  
  
"No trick," she said quietly. "I'm not proud of what I did but I... had to."  
  
Sighing, he looked up at her. "No, I don't think you're cruel. Vindictive, yes, ruthless, definitely," a mischievous look entered his eyes, "PMS'ing, maybe... yowch" He yelped as she cuffed him in the head. "Ok, that last one was a bit out of line."  
  
"Would it kill you to be serious?" She spoke heatedly, her tone a bit angrier then she'd intended it to be.  
  
His expression sobered. "I see; this upsets you that much, does it. Like I said, I don't think you're being cruel. I do think that you don't trust me even half as much as you claim."  
  
"You figured that out, huh?" She muttered wryly. "Love and trust, it seems the two should go together but they don't... not in my case anyway. I love you but I just don't trust you. There's a voice that keeps telling me that you'll leave again. Your actions right now aren't exactly helping."  
  
"What would you have me do?"  
  
"Come back to me, live your life happily with me and forget about trying to resurrect six years of suffering by going on this mission." She sighed softly. "Everything, I suppose, that you can't do."  
  
"I did offer to stay behind. All you had to do was give the word and I would not have left."  
  
"And have you moping around my Citadel, all day. No thanks." She smiled down at him. "You needed to go on this mission and I was not going to stop you. However, when you get back, I do plan on ensuring that nothing like this happens again."  
  
Takeru shook his head. "So domineering. I wonder how Daisuke put up with you."  
  
"Well, to tell you the truth, I would never even consider doing this to Daisuke."  
  
"And what is that supposed to mean?"  
  
Hikari chuckled. "Oh, let's just say that there are some men that can take what I did to you and some that can't. Naturally you could, seeing as how I trained you extremely well."  
  
Takeru stared up at her, his right eye twitching. "I'm not a man prone to vindictiveness but I swear, you'll pay for that last one."  
  
Hikari laughed, then leaned down and kissed him on the forehead. "It's the truth and you know it."  
  
"When are you going to let me get back to sleep?" Takeru grumbled sourly.  
  
"In a moment. First though, you were right I do have a message from Tai. This mission may have been compromised. Sora found a diary inside the Seona Outpost that indicates that someone from Alecrast might have been involved."  
  
"You suspect Jyou or Koushirou?"  
  
"Nothing is certain, so be careful."  
  
Takeru nodded thoughtfully. "I will."  
  
"Good." Hikari waved her hand and he felt the restraints around him loosen. "My time is running short and I do need to go back and actually get some sleep. However, before I leave, there's one other lesson I have in mind for you." She grinned maliciously. "Feel free to struggle as hard as you like."  
  
________________________________  
  
6 Hours later  
  
"You're leaving?"  
  
Yamato stopped in his tracks, closing his eyes. He had planned to leave quietly but it seemed that was no longer a possibility. Whey did it have to be him? Sighing, he turned around to face Taichi Yagami. The man had an all too familiar frown on his face.  
  
"Yes," Yamato replied softly.  
  
"Why?" Tai's voice was hard. "What missions have these... Elders given you?"  
  
"I... I can't tell you that yet." Yamato said hesitantly.  
  
"I'm getting tired of hearing that line from you Ishida's." He was angry, that much Yamato could tell. However, he hadn't yet figured out the cause of that anger.  
  
"I told you yesterday that I was given strict instructions. What I am doing now will help us in the long run and may even recoup the losses you took with the loss of that outpost. You will have to trust me on this."  
  
"Trust is a rare commodity these days, even among us. You will tell me where you're going or I won't allow you to leave this base."  
  
Eyes narrowing, Yamato gazed at the figure standing across from him. "You won't allow it?" He whispered dangerously. His own anger was quickly rising up in challenge to Tai's ultimatum. Absurdly a memory came to him of another such confrontation long ago.  
  
'Put your fists down when you talk to me and stop acting like you can bully your way into being the leader.'  
  
He had said that to him once but couldn't remember the setting. It was like there was a darkness obscuring everything except for himself and Tai. Sighing, Yamato rubbed his eyes. "Look, I'm not going to get into this with you now. If you need to pretend I'm still dead to deal with my existence, then do so. You won't be the only one." Turning around, he started to walk away.  
  
"I didn't mean to take her."  
  
The words stopped him once again but this time he didn't turn around.  
  
"We made a promise to each other," Tai continued. "If I had known that you were still alive..."  
  
"You didn't," Yamato interrupted. "I was dead in any case." He hesitated slightly; there was one thing he wanted to ask. "Tell me, did I come to you when she first asked me out."  
  
Tai closed his eyes. "Yes, you did. I swore to you that I would not interfere."  
  
"And what about me?"  
  
"You were willing to break it off if I gave the word."  
  
"That... contents me. Thank you." This time, Tai did not stop him from leaving.  
  
______________________________  
  
8 Hours Later  
  
"So, where were you hiding yourself?" Ken's voice crackled over the comm. system inside Daisuke's aircraft. The two friends were jetting towards their city in twin aircrafts. Underneath them spread a vast ocean with no hint of land in sight.  
  
"I was with Takeru," Daisuke replied distractedly, looking at the radar system in his craft. It wasn't working which was puzzling.  
  
"How's he doing?"  
  
"He's a bit messed up but that's to be expected... listen Ken, is the radar on your ship working? Mine seems to be on the fritz."  
  
Ken's voice came back immediately. "Yeah, mine isn't working either. I saw Koushirou tinkering around our ships at the base. He said there had been a problem with the regular checks and he needed to fine-tune a few things. I suppose he crossed a few wires because of the rush we left in."  
  
"We'll have to get it looked at when we get to Raiha." Daisuke thumped the offending display in frustration. "Flying out here, especially after what happened to Sora is dangerous. Even more so now that we don't have radar."  
  
As soon as the words were out of his mouth, there was a thunderous explosion and a white beam of light shot over his aircraft. Immediately, he threw the aircraft into a tight spin, arcing away from the laser blast. He could see Ken doing the same as he stared out of his cockpit. His comm. suddenly burst to life.  
  
"What was that?" Ken yelled.  
  
Daisuke straightened his craft and turned it in the direction from which the blast had come. There was a group of three dozen dark Digimon on their trail. A shaft of white light suddenly opened in the sky and more Digimon flew down joining the ever growing ranks of the first group. There was no way they could defeat an army of this size by themselves.  
  
"Get going Ken," Daisuke yelled into the comm.. "I'll try holding them off as long as I can."  
  
Ken's voice immediately came back. "Forget that, you go. I've got a better chance against them with my powers."  
  
"Your powers also give you a better chance at getting away and finding help." Watching the massive horde of Digimon getting closer, Daisuke made a quick decision. "This isn't a conversation Ken. Now, get going." And with that, he took off towards the Digimon. There was a muffled curse from the comm. but Ken did as he had been told. Daisuke grinned, listening to that curse. Technically, Ken outranked him but that had never stopped him from taking control when the situation demanded it. There was no more time for thought though as his aircraft sped towards the nearest group of Digimon. They scattered as he opened fire at them and then began responding with attacks of their own. He avoided most of them but some got through and struck the craft. Daisuke knew he couldn't keep this up forever. The Digimon outside had greater maneuverability and more potent firepower than he did. He would have to leave the craft and meet them on their terms. Thankfully, he had merged with Veemon before they had left the base. He had done it to save room but now that foresight might just save his life.  
  
Daisuke thumbed a few switches and overhead, the cockpit blew off the craft. Unbuckling his seatbelt, he stood and jumped up. The winds immediately pushed him backwards and clear of the aircraft. He unfurled his wings as soon as he was clear and caught an updraft that elevated him higher. Then, bunching his wings, he torpedoed towards a thick batch of Digimon. They fired at him but he avoided the blasts. Gathering his own energy, he responded with blasts of his own. The attack took out the outer layer of Digimon and then he was among them, his claws lashing out left and right. It was a dance, lunge, strike, and block. However, the odds were highly stacked against him. There were more and more Digimon arriving every moment. It was only a matter of time before he was overwhelmed. He tried to break away and his attention was diverted for one crucial moment. A blast hit him from behind and slowed him enough for three more to strike him in the chest and sides. The last thing he saw before losing consciousness was the bright blue sea rushing up to meet him.  
  
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A/N: Holy bondage overtones. ;) I have no clue what happened there. Ah well, I think I might have scared off even more readers with this chapter. For those that are still around, tell me, you thought Yamato and Takeru were going to get back to their old brotherly relationship, didn't you? Was this unexpected, cause it was supposed to be.  
  
Oh and, this won't be a Sora/Yamato fic. I'll keep it Tai/Sora. However Jyou/Mimi won't go any further then friendship. I always meant for it to be more an act of comforting each other then any romantic attachment.  
  
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Next: ... Actually, I'll leave it to you guys. Whose story do you want to see next. Takeru's, Daisuke's, or Yamato's? Review and tell me. If there aren't any reviews, I'll just pick one and do his. As of this moment, I haven't even begun Chapter Five. 


	5. Chapter Five

The Final Battle (Chapter Five)

Disclaimer:  If I owned Digimon, this fic would have been season 3.

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A/N:  I have decided to cut this chapter short because otherwise it was going to wind up in excess of eighty pages in MS word.  There is nothing particularly shocking in this chapter though.  I'll save that for the next one. 

Oh and Tk293, could you elaborate a bit more on why you felt the writing was childish at times.  I'll try to work on it.  And yeah, this has mostly been a character fic so far.  I am deliberately taking a slower pace with it though.  The plot will pick up considerably in the next chapter.

And now, the story:

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            His mom had taken him to an ornament shop when he had been younger.  There, amidst various trinkets he had discovered something extraordinary.  It had been a small city encased in a glass dome.  Reaching out, he had tried to pick it up so that he might be able to touch something so wondrous.  In typical fashion though, he had fumbled and the globe had dropped and shattered on the cold stone floor.  It had been his first lesson that things of beauty were often fragile.  That lesson was far from his mind though because at the moment, he was looking at a city much like the one he'd seen in that shop.  The only thing though was that this one was quite a bit larger and was floating on an ocean.  From outside the dome that encased it, he could see very little of the city but some inner sense told him that it was a great technological marvel.

            Focus shifting suddenly, he observed a small spar of land nearby the floating city.  On the land stood three men and he grew puzzled because all three were dressed in ancient clothes.  One of the men was dressed in light armor, a steel breastplate covering his upper body.  A sword was sheathed at his hip.  He looked like a samurai but none like Daisuke had ever seen in the old books; across from him stood two other men.  One was wearing a toga while the other was draped in heavy white robes with a hood covering his head.

            Suddenly, there was a rush of sound, and where before he had existed in a noiseless void, now he could hear what was being said.

            "Are you sure this is the only way?"  The hooded figure questioned in a grave voice.  "We will isolate ourselves from so much.  Is there no other way Sho?"

            The man in the light armor shook his head.  "I'm afraid not.  There has been so much death and destruction.  Something has to survive these troubled times.  You must wait and watch and emerge when the time is right.  The world will need you one day."

            There was a sharp thunderclap; the sky seeming to reverberate from the sound.  Sho glanced up, his expression betraying his concern. 

            "He is coming," he said, looking at the two men.  "You had best get back to the city and make your preparations."

            The two men bowed and took their leave.  He watched as a small hole opened at the base of the city and the two jumped inside.  The city began to drift away from the small island and then began to sink into the waves.  Meanwhile, on the island, Sho walked over to a large boulder and leaned against it.  Whistling, he pulled out the sword at his hip and began to sharpen it.  There was another thunderclap overhead and then suddenly a white shaft of light appeared a little way away from him.  It lengthened and then widened and a stern looking white haired man steeped through.  This one was dressed in a black coat and pants.  There was a sword at his hip as well.

            "They are all dead?"  Sho questioned, straightening.

            The white haired man turned impassively towards him.  "Yes," he nodded.  "You are the last."  He glanced at the city sinking slowly into the sea.  "I see the Atlanteans have made their choice.  Regrettable!  I could have used them.  Still," he raised his hand, "I have a solution that will keep them out of the way."  There was a flash of light and a sound so loud it made the thunderclaps of before pale in comparison.  When it passed, the city had vanished.

            "What have you done?"  Sho spoke angrily, all traces of his calm demeanor gone.

            The white haired man gazed at him disinterestedly from behind emerald green eyes.  "Calm yourself.  I have not destroyed your little city.  It is merely being held in a place until I decide what to do with it.  I do not want any interference with my plans."

            "Your plans are madness."

            "No," still the same calm tone, "yours was the true madness, thinking that we could continue on as we were.  Sacrifices had to be made and not one of you had the stomach for them."  He drew his sword.  "Because of who we were, I will make this quick."

            "Why?"  Sho asked, raising his own sword.  "Why did you let despair cloud your heart."

            "You would ask a question you know the answer to?"  There was a tone of grim humor coloring the man's voice now.  "Your last moments could be better spent."

            "I did not mean to betray you."

            "What is done, is done.  You will now reap the consequences of your decision."

            "There is such a thing as too high a price."  He felt a sense of shifting, of different tactics being employed.  However, he could see that it wouldn't work.  The other man was too focused on his task.

            "I will proceed as I have planned.  The Guardians have fallen into line and the Aal have vowed not to interfere.  I have the Valeru's trust and once I kill you, I'll have enough power to thrust a knife into his back."

            "And you are willing to cripple an entire planet to achieve this goal?  Countless millions will die."

            "They would have died either way.  Only, with your plans, the blood would be on the Valeru's hands."  The white haired man smiled grimly.  "You never did like blood on your hands, Sho.  I was the one that killed for you and your great dream."

            "How can you say that?  Don't you feel anything for all those that will die?"

            "It is not my concern.  The strong survive and the weak perish.  It has been that way since the beginning."  He turned sideways, holding his sword in an old fighting stance.  "Now, if we're done..."

            The fight was short and brutal.  In the end, the white haired man stood over the dying form of Sho.

            "Promise... me," Sho gasped, blood flowing from a wound in his side and staining the ground crimson.  "Promise me that you'll save her."

            "A wasted promise, it is to save her that I'm doing all this."  With that, he plunged his sword into the other man's heart.

            There was red then, a storm of rose petals that obscured the dream.  He could faintly hear a woman crying out somewhere, 'Sho,' and then even more softly that it was barely an echo in his ears, 'Setsuna.'  The voice and the images faded leaving him in darkness. 

_______________________________

            Daisuke opened his eyes and blinked.  The steady sound of beeping drew his head sideways.  He observed a small monitor beside his bed showing what he perceived to be his heart rate.  Looking down at himself he noticed that he was completely naked except for his boxers.  He wondered with some grim humor whether they had been clean before returning to his observations.  There were various tubes hooked up to his body and he noticed that he was not bio-merged with Veemon anymore.  Metal restraints ringed his arms and legs and kept him bolted to the flat metal surface he was lying on.  A further look was spared to study his surroundings.  The room around him was stark, almost bare except for a few other machines whose purpose he could not divine.

            There was a slight hissing sound somewhere behind him.  He craned his neck but couldn't see anything except for the really white ceiling.  A sudden twinge shot up his spine as he extended himself a bit too much.  Gasping from the pain, he relaxed back into the bed.  There was a sound of rapid footsteps and then he was looking into the greenest pair of eyes he had ever seen.

            "Careful," a feminine voice addressed him; "you're not fully healed just yet."

            Daisuke blinked and the eyes receded, revealing long raven black hair that fell in waves around the woman's shoulder.  She was dressed in white robes, the likes of which he had seen in his dreams.  The hood was pulled back.  Blinking, he noticed that her skin color was a light brown.  She was the wrong color to be wearing Druid robes.  And then he wondered how he had known the name of what she was wearing.  For that matter, what was a Druid?

            He tried to speak, to question where he was but his voice came out as a dull croak.  The woman turned away and moments later, he heard the sound of running water.  She was beside him soon enough, slipping a hand underneath his neck and tilting his head up.  A cup of water was raised to his lips.

            "Small sips," she cautioned.  Nodding, he sipped cautiously, the water soothing his parched throat.

            "Who are you and where am I?  He asked after he had finished drinking.

            "My name is Isis."  She answered, turning away to put the cup back.  "And you're in Atlantis."

            Daisuke blinked and then chuckled softly.  "Well, I suppose if the Kyoto legends were true, this shouldn't really surprise me.  How long have I been out?"

            "Nearly two weeks."

            "Now that," Daisuke said frowning, "does surprise me.  Why am I tied up and where is my partner Veemon?"

            Isis stepped back into his line of sight.  "The restraints were to keep you from hurting yourself."  She moved out of his sight again.  "We mean you no harm."  The restraints around his arms and legs snapped open.  Before Daisuke could rise, she was beside him once more, a firm hand pushing him back down.  "Hold on a moment there."  Carefully, she removed the various tubes connected to his body.  "You're going to need to take it easy for a while.  As for your partner, he is being held under my protection.  Atlantis, unfortunately, has strict rules regarding Digimon."

            "I see."  Daisuke said, sitting up with a grimace.  "I will need some clothes and then I will need to pick up Veemon.  We need to get back to Ellum as soon as possible."

            "That may not be possible at the moment."  Isis responded in a regretful tone.

            Daisuke studied her for a bit.  Now that he was sitting up he could see that the woman held herself with a poise that was more accustomed to someone of authority then a simple nurse or doctor.  What had she said?  Veemon was being held under her protection.  It certainly seemed to fit.  There was some bigger game being played here.

            "Politics?"  He questioned softly.

            Isis smiled.  "What makes you say that?"

            "A great many things," Daisuke replied, framing his face with a familiar grin.  "Now then, why did you save me if you won't let me leave?"

            "Do we need to have a reason?"

            "Everybody has a reason.  Some just don't acknowledge it."  Daisuke tentatively put one foot on the floor and then the other.  Straightening to his feet, he said, "However, I am content to follow along for now.  Your reasons will become clear over time."

            "Very good Daisuke Motomiya."  Isis said, smile widening into a grin.  "You've managed to curb that impulsiveness you used to have."

            Daisuke almost grinned.  She was trying to provoke a reaction from him.  He wasn't that easy though.  Running all over Ellum, trying to keep various factions in line had taught him the value of keeping a straight face.  "Been watching us that long have you."  He could play this game too, was actually very proficient at it.

            "Very good, you didn't react.  I want that exact performance when you meet the others."  Isis turned and walked towards the only door in the room.  She stepped outside and then returned moments later with a matching set of robes for him.  "Put these on.  I will explain while you do."  She turned her back to him.

            Daisuke looked down at the robes as she passed them to him.  There was an outfit much like the one he'd been wearing when he was attacked along with them.  He grinned inwardly.  So, they did wear regular clothing under there.  He donned the clothes quickly and then slipped the white robe over his head.  While he did, he listened to Isis explain about his current situation.

            "Atlantis is made up of many races.  However, there are only two particular ideals that all these races cling to.  These ideals have split this city in two ever since we first came here.  One side wants to make our presence known to the world above and the other wants to bide their time and not interfere."

            "Where do you come in?"  Daisuke questioned after he had finished dressing.  "I can't imagine why I was saved when one faction obviously does not want to meddle in the affairs of the outside world."

            "Actually, saving you was the first thing both factions have agreed on in quite a long while."  A wry tone entered her voice.  "I thought progress was finally being made but the fools just want to sit around and prattle on and on, discussing when we should reveal our presence.  Letting you go would reveal our presence but keeping you here, against your will, is not an option either.  It is a dilemma."

            "Why did they agree to save me?"  Daisuke asked in a puzzled tone.  "In the grand scheme of things, I'm not that important."

            "That is where you're wrong, Daisuke."  Isis replied mysteriously.  "Now come along.  All things will become clear over time."

______________________________________

            "All things will become clear over time."  Daisuke muttered darkly to himself, pacing in the small room.  He had spent the past two days confined inside the room.  Of the facility he was in, he had seen very little.  The woman, Isis, had led him through one ubiquitous hallway after another, finally depositing him inside the small room and then taking her leave.  He had tried to leave but there were guards outside his door who had been instructed to make him stay.  All in all, this wasn't the best way of garnering his trust.

            He had briefly considered trying to sneak out but had given up on that idea the minute he'd come up with it.  Takeru, Ken and Iori were the team's stealth specialists and he doubted even they could do something in a situation like this.  No, for the moment he was stuck.  The next move belonged to Isis and she was taking her damned time getting to it.  

            Daisuke stopped his pacing and sat down on a small bed at the back of the room.  Once again, he found himself looking around at his surroundings.  There wasn't much to study really.  He had a small door to the side that led to the bathroom.  In the main room itself, there was nothing but the bed and four stark, empty walls.  It looked almost like a cell but the bed was actually pretty comfortable.

            Sighing, Daisuke leaned back on the bed, wondering about his friends.  Why hadn't the other Chosen come to find him yet?  Any of the telepaths could have picked up on the ward they had left in his mind.  It would be easy to trace him back to this location, unless they believed him dead?  However, they still would have come for his body.  What was going on up there?

            He was almost asleep when in typical fashion, the door opened.  Isis stepped into the room hurriedly.  "Get up," she ordered authoritatively.  "It's time."

            Daisuke sat up, blinking his eyes.  "What time?"

            "Time for you to meet our Assembly."  She kneeled down, looking into his eyes.  "This is a very important meeting.  I want you to convince them as best you can that we have to join the efforts of the other Chosen topside.  It is also your only way of getting out of here."

            Daisuke stared down at her then yawned.  "I'll do my best."  He almost enjoyed the mild look of irritation that flashed across her face.

            She rose to her feet.  "Come with me then."  

            Rubbing his eyes, Daisuke followed along behind her.  The two guards that had been stationed outside his door fell in step behind him.  He glanced back in amusement at them then turned back to Isis.  As he was led through one hallway, he saw an open window.  He glanced out while passing it and caught a glimpse of the city outside.  The first thing he saw was the rooftops of many a building.  The second thing that attracted his attention was the huge dome that covered the city and the sea that lay beyond it.  And then, he was past the window.

            The scenery bore thinking about though.  For one, it reminded him of the dream he'd had.  Obviously, there was some deeper connection there.  It was also going to be his one likely ace in the hole.  Information was always important and already he was thinking of ways to use what he'd learned.  He became so caught up in his thoughts though that he didn't notice Isis stop in front of him until he'd already bumped into her.

            "Sorry," he mumbled apologetically, tossing her his famous, 'make women swoon,' grin.  She just looked at him with a faint look of irritation he remembered gracing Hikari's face when he'd used that particular grin.

            "This way," she motioned towards an open door, teeth seemingly grating together.

            Following along behind her, Daisuke stepped into the room.  Inside, all was dark except for a column of light in the center of the room.  Daisuke blinked, trying to adjust his eyes to the gloom.  There were shadows shifting in the room, which he took to be other Atlanteans.

            "Step into the light," Isis whispered quietly while moving sideways and disappearing into the darkness.  Taking a deep breath, Daisuke walked up to the column of light and stepped inside.  Immediately, three other columns lit up in front of him.  He kept himself still though, seeming to casually observe.  It was obvious that they wanted a reaction but he wasn't going to give them the satisfaction.

            "Motomiya, Daisuke."  The voice came from behind him but he didn't turn around.  Instead, he cocked his head to one side.  "Do you know why you're here?"  This time the voice came from his side.

            "I have a pretty good idea," Daisuke responded slowly.  "Why don't we just get past all this and I'll give you my word that I won't reveal the location of this city.  In the greater scheme of things, you really aren't that important anyway."

            There was a small silence after he had spoken.  And then, "What guarantee do we have that you will keep your word?"

            "You have none," Daisuke retorted bluntly, "except for my word.  It is up to you whether that will be good enough or not."

            "It isn't."  This time there was no pause between replies.  "You have seen a small fraction of the technology we possess.  We need assurances that you won't come back in hopes of trying to exploit us."

            "Why would we bother?"  Daisuke questioned lightly.  "We've gotten along well without you.  The Dark Ocean forces have been contained on each continent.  We will not force people into this war.  However, remaining neutral is not a luxury anybody is afforded.  You will have to pick a side sooner or later."

            "Kroy seems to have survived well in its neutrality."

            Daisuke closed his eyes.  Kroy!  It was always Kroy.  That accursed city was always the first example to be used against them.  "Kroy is walking a fine line," he said, keeping his voice firm.  "There will come a day when they will come to regret their neutrality.  In all my experience with the Dark Ocean, I know how treacherous they can be."  

The excuse sounded hollow, even to his own ears.  However, it garnered a reaction that he had not expected.  There was a slight murmur that swept through the room.  Daisuke stood still, assuming a relaxed posture.  Something was up here and he had a feeling that it was crucial to his own fate.

            "Do you know," yet another voice questioned, "that Kroy fell not two days ago.  The reports aren't clear but Cain was killed."

            Daisuke's eyes widened but he quickly got his reaction under control.  _'Was this what Taichi had been planning,' _he wondered to himself.  It seemed almost too ghastly to be believable but then again, Tai had always wanted to remove Cain somehow.  With Takeru back, the possibility might finally have presented itself.  

            "I did not know that," Daisuke said quietly.  "Do you know who was responsible for his murder?"

            Another strange voice answered him this time.  "Like we said, the reports aren't clear.  All we know is that Corwin was killed.  So far, it is looking like the work of the Dark Ocean as Taichi Yagami was called in to restore order to the city by its remaining defenders."  There was a slight pause.  "You knew nothing of this?"

            Daisuke shook his head.  "I had no idea."

            "And yet you stand there undisturbed by this news."

            "Why would I be disturbed?"  Daisuke said casually.  The truth was that the news was distressing but he could not let them know his suspicions.  "We have been saying all along that Cain was treading dangerous territory.  This just proves that we were right."

            "Does it?  How do we know that this wasn't your doing?"

            "Why would we go after Cain now and not before?"

            "You've never had an assassin like Takeru Ishida at your disposal before."

            "Is that supposed to mean anything?"  Daisuke scoffed.  "You might have a case if Cain was the only exception but we have dealt with men like him on every single continent.  Men that thought neutrality was their best course and in every single case, they were attacked by the Dark Ocean and came to us for help.  Cain was the lone exception and it seems we were right in thinking that he was only kept alive to serve some ulterior purpose.  His death is actually a sign of failure for us because we could not divine the purpose they had in mind for him."

            "What was the purpose of your current summit?"

            "That is classified information."  Daisuke replied with a shake of his head.  "I am sure you understand the value of confidentiality especially in our situation."

            "Was the assassination of Cain one of the things you discussed?"

            "No," Daisuke responded, keeping his voice firm.  Takeru had changed and Hikari in particular would never have let him go through with something like this.

            "Why did you give up leadership?"

            Keeping his expression under control, Daisuke considered his options once again.  He couldn't afford to get defensive and he had a feeling that they were pushing him towards that very reaction.  Truth would be his best ally here and if these people had been watching them as long as he thought they had, they would already know his reasons.

            "I gave up leadership because my best friend was taken due to a lapse of judgment on my part."  

            The memory of that day was still vivid in his mind.  He had rushed in blindly, dragging Ken along with him and had nearly gotten both of them killed.  In the end, Daemon had taken Ken but there had been one moment.  One moment where Imperial-Dramon had sworn he could take a clean shot.  However, Daisuke had frozen, unable to make a decision that could potentially prove fatal for his best friend.  The moment had passed and Daemon had made off with Ken.  

            Forcing himself back to the present, he said, "I did not want the responsibility anymore and judged Hikari as the best person on the team for my replacement."

            "And you've never looked back?"

            "No, I have not."

            "Not even during the destruction of Primary Village?"

            Daisuke's thoughts raced.  There was no way they could know of that argument, it had been behind closed doors.  At best, they had to be guessing.  Still, his only recourse seemed to be to tell the truth.  They had done a pretty good job of limiting his options so far.

            "Primary Village's sacrifice was a necessary evil."  The words sounded as hollow to him now as they had years ago.  "Sumeragi had taken Takeru and we were running out of time.  Primary Village was set up as a decoy by us to attract his forces."  He had opposed the plan and had even argued rather vocally with Hikari over it.  An entirely different side of her he had never seen before had shown itself to him that day.  It seemed inconceivable that she could be so cold and ruthless and it had genuinely shocked him.  In the end, the original team had outvoted him, Iori, Ken and Miyako and Primary Village had burned.  So many baby Digimon had been deleted that day.  Some prices were just too high to be paid.  That thought brought back the memory of the dream he had, had.  So far he had done nothing but answer questions.  It was time he started to make them a little unsure of themselves.  Turning within the beam of light, he glanced at the hooded figures gathered around him.

            "If the purpose of this exercise is to judge whether I am a threat to you or not, we are getting a bit off track.  Or," he glanced around again, "have you already made up your mind and want to know whether you've made the right decision."  Silence answered him and he continued.  "We are not perfect and over the years we have made mistakes but our intentions have always been good.  This world and its inhabitants were divided until we came forward and organized them into a force capable of driving back the darkness.  And through it all, we have never pressured anybody into joining this war.  It is a tactical mistake but it shows that we value free will even if it sets us back sometimes.  We will fight for this world and its people, alone if we have to, but if we fail, the future will be a great deal darker for those that survive."  He looked around again.  "And if you are still not convinced, think back to what Sho Shinjo said right before it sank beneath the waves.  I believe it was something about coming forward when the time was right."

            There was a visible stir as he said the last sentence.  A murmur of voices filled the room before the shock was quickly controlled and the room lapsed into silence again.

            "How did you know that?"  Despite the impassive tone, Daisuke could detect an underlying hint of tension.  "Was it Isis?  Did she..."

            "Olybrius..."  Another voice snapped effectively stopping the man from continuing.  Silence engulfed the room again.  Daisuke waited patiently, keeping his expression neutral.  A few moments later, the beams of light illuminating the robed figures began to shut off one by one until the only source of light left in the room was the one he was standing under.  Shortly after the last light vanished, Isis appeared by his side.

            "Come with me," she motioned, turning away.  Daisuke followed her out of the room.  

            "So, how did I do?"  He asked as they walked back to his quarters.

            Isis frowned, glancing back at him.  "How did you know what the founder of this city was called?  And how did you know about his last words to the Assembly?"

            "I... I had a dream," Daisuke replied hesitantly.   He wasn't sure how much he wanted to give away just yet but he felt that he could trust this woman.  "Our group is no stranger to such things, especially the telepaths."

            "What did you see?"  Isis questioned, stopping in the middle of the hallway they were walking down.

            "Two men fighting.  One of them killed the other and then I woke up.  Since then, I have known some things that I technically should not know."  He studied the robes Isis was wearing.  "For instance, when I first saw you I thought to myself that someone with your skin color is of the wrong nationality to be wearing Druidic robes."

            The frown on Isis's face reappeared.  Then, without another word, she turned and resumed walking.  When they got to his quarters, she held open the door and ushered him inside.  "Stay here and do not try to leave."   

            "Wait, I want to see..."  He got no further as she closed the door in his face.  "... Veemon."  He finished softly.  The dismissal irritated him.  Here he had done everything she asked him to do and he was dismissed like an old footstool.  For that matter, where the hell were the others.  It was past time one of the telepaths contacted him.  Unless they had gotten Ken too, but that didn't make any sense.  For one, if he and Ken had been late, their Chancellor in Ellum would have contacted one of the telepaths.  The end result would have been the same so why hadn't anybody tried to contact him yet?  What the hell was going on up there?

            Daisuke walked over to his bed and sat down Indian style.  There was one last trick he had at his disposal.  If the telepaths were somehow unable to contact him, he would have to try and reach them himself.  While he did not have any telepathic ability, what he did have was two wards in his mind constructed by Hikari.  One of the wards worked as a homing beacon but the other allowed him to send a burst of energy across the thoughtscape.  According to Hikari, it was the telepathic version of a distress beacon.  If he activated it, she, Sora or Mimi would be sure to pick it up.  The downside was that anything or anybody else on the thoughtscape would home in on the signal as well.  If there were still dark digimon up there, they might have someone capable of sensing the signal.  He briefly considered not using the beacon but then put the thought out of his mind.  Things were coming to a head, up above and he needed to be among the group.  Furthermore, there was the matter of the traitor among them and he had suspicions of who that traitor could be.

            Closing his eyes, he tried to attain inner focus like Hikari had taught him to do.  As always, it came hard to him.  His mind could not have been called organized under the loosest sense of the term.  Battling the chaotic swirl of his thoughts, he managed to quiet them until he had achieved complete silence.  Then, reaching inwards, he brought forth one particular memory.  It was an old memory from back when he was eleven years old and the ward lay entwined within it.

____________________________

FLASHBACK

            Daisuke Motomiya stepped into the small ice cream parlor, supremely pissed off.  Where did that boy crazy, wild haired, obsessive compulsive girl he had the displeasure of calling a sister get off ordering him around.  There he had been, sitting in his room listening to his favorite CD and she had barged into his room and ordered him out of the house because she had a date and didn't want her 'dorky little brother' disrupting it like he had done with the last one.  It hadn't even been his fault last time.  Her date had been a prick that deserved getting a jug of water upended over his head.  However, because of that incident, his mother had sided with Jun over him and now here he was with an entire Saturday afternoon and nothing to do.

            The parlor was practically deserted except for two other kids who looked to be his age sitting at a booth in the far corner.  The girl among the two had short brown hair with two bangs that framed her face heightening her pixie like features.  She was actually quite pretty, which was probably why he couldn't stop his eyes from roving over her form.  He gazed down from her white tanktop to the blue colored skirt she was wearing.  Her legs were crossed under the table.  With a slight blush, he quickly averted his gaze.  The last thing he wanted was to be labeled a pervert.  Trying to take his mind off the girl, he focused on the boy.  All he could see of him was a garish fisherman hat and a few strands of yellow hair peeking out from underneath.  Either the guy was one of those kids that dyed their hair to look like some cartoon character or yellow was his natural color.  He suspected it was the former and not the latter since he had never actually seen anybody whose hair was that color.

            The girl suddenly burst out into laughter, no doubt at something the boy had said.  Strangely irritated by the sight, he turned towards the empty counter and rang the bell for service.  Moments later, the attendant appeared from wherever he'd been hiding in the back of the store.  Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a fistful of yen, deposited them on the counter and ordered a double chocolate sundae.  He was spending the last bit of his money but he thought he might as well make good use of this unintended day.  It was just such a shame that soccer practice didn't begin until next week.  The attendant finished his sundae, deposited on the counter, took his money and then disappeared into the back of the parlor.  As he was turning around, somebody bumped into him, causing him to drop his sundae.  Thankfully, the bowl was plastic and didn't break.  Unfortunately, his sundae ended up decorating the floor of the parlor.

            "Whoops, sorry," he heard a male voice chuckle apologetically.  "Here, I'll pay for the sundae."

            Looking down at the spilled sundae, his temper exploded.  He looked up into the apologetic face of the blonde boy he had seen.  The kid towered over his 5'2 frame which was irritating in itself.  In instances like this, the calm, polite Japanese thing to do would have been to accept the apology but he wasn't feeling culturally compliant at the moment.

            "You... you idiot," he hissed.  It wasn't the best insult but he was too enraged to come up with some scathing commentary at the moment.  And then, he launched a punch at the blonde haired kid.  The guy managed to twist aside though and the punch only ended up clipping his shoulder.  However, it did send him stumbling back a few steps.

            "Whoa, hey, take it easy."  The kid exclaimed, putting up his hands.

            Growling, he fired off another punch.  There was a slight blur of air to his side and then the punch stopped in his tracks.  He looked into a pair of ruby eyes.  It was the girl, standing in front of him and she had his fist in her hand.

            "Err, uh oh."  The guy stepped back, shooting Daisuke an apologetic smile.  "You'll wish you'd been more reasonable in a few minutes."

            "I apologize for my friend," the girl said, keeping her grip on his fist.  "He can be clumsy sometimes.  Please accept his apology and let him pay for the sundae."

            On any other day he would have accepted the apology but today was different.  The smug grin on the boy's face wasn't helping either.  It all combined to make him even angrier and he tried to push past the girl to get at the guy.  She did something with his hand and suddenly he was on his knees hoping she didn't exert anymore pressure.

            "Ok, let me be perfectly clear," the girl continued, her tone markedly more menacing then it had been moments before.  "Accept the apology or else."

            He brought up his other hand, trying to pry loose from her grip but she quickly grabbed that hand as well.  Gritting his teeth, he blocked the pain as she bent both of his hands back.  There was a frown on her face as she stared down at him.  He met her eyes and made himself do one of the hardest things he had ever done up to that point in his life, he smiled.  The frown on the girl's face deepened and the pressure on his wrists increased.  He kept the smile though, fighting back the pain.

            There was a low whistle.  "Man, he's as stubborn as you, Hikari."

            "Give it a little more time."

            "No, I think that will be enough."  The boy stepped forward, putting a hand on the girl's shoulder.  "Let him go.  This was my fault after all."

            The girl glanced back over her shoulder.  "He overreacted and you apologized.  I don't take kindly to people trying to hurt my friends."

            Something strangely intimate seemed to pass between the two as they gazed at each other.  The pressure on his wrists slackened as the girl suddenly let go.  Bending down, the guy shoved a fistful of yen at him.

            "I really am sorry." The boy said sounding sincerely apologetic.  "Although you should be glad she let you go that easily."

            "Come on Takeru," the girl spoke, her voice impatient.  "You still owe me a birthday present."

            The boy rose to his feet, sighing.  "You're not going to be content until you make me spend my last yen, are you?"

            "Serves you right," the girl responded.  "I've never missed any of your birthdays."

            "It wasn't my fault."

            "Excuses, excuses."

            "Pushy little tomboy."

            "What was that?"

            "Umm, nothing."

            "You are so going to pay for that, Takaishi."

            Playfully bickering, the two walked towards the parlor door.  With a slight flourish, the boy opened the door for the girl and the shop bell rang.  The scene froze, the ward activating itself.

END FLASHBACK

______________________________

            Daisuke opened his eyes, feeling the psychic energy release and dissipate.  Sighing, he flopped back on the bed, a fond smile touching his lips.  Gods, he'd been rash and impulsive back then.  He'd met Takeru and Hikari again next week at soccer practice.  They had been there along with Yamato to watch Taichi instruct the younger kids on the fine points of soccer.  Afterwards, when school had started, he had found himself in the same class group as them.  His infatuation with Hikari had started around that time.

            The problem, in his eyes, had always been how comfortable the two had been around each other.  In a way, it was understandable.  They had been friends since the age of five and had always been there for one another.  Their adventures in the Digital World were also a big consideration.  It was understandable but also maddening.  How was anybody else supposed to compete with all that, especially when most times she only seemed to have eyes for one boy.  He had tried though in his own rash, impulsive way.  The memories of those times still made him wince.  He had been such a fool calling her 'his girl.'  The only thing that had ever earned him had been numerous cuffs over the head.  Takeru had thought it hilarious but above all, he had not cared which was even worse in some ways.  He had really envied the golden haired boy's relationship with Hikari at that time.  In the end, he had just stepped aside and stopped pursuing the girl, writing his crush off as puppy love.  It had felt like he was opening his eyes.  He didn't need Yagami, Hikari when he had his friends, family and Veemon.  That feeling of content with his own life had allowed him to resist Vamdemon and save his friends.  Afterwards, things had seemed to settle down until the day Takeru's family had been murdered.  She had lost Takeru that day but he had not pursued her.  He was content with being her friend and even her confidante at times.  However, fate wasn't done screwing around with him yet.

            Hikari and Takeru had fought and she had fallen into a deep depression.  He had never seen her look so defeated.  The proud, strong girl had disappeared, leaving a shadow in her place.  He had tried to help her and it had led to sex.  It had been a stupid and idiotic move on his part and he should never have let it go that far but all he had been concerned with at the moment was that his dream was coming true.  A rather selfish thought to have but he didn't care.  The mistake he had made had been confusing comfort with love.  She had been hurt and had latched onto him and for a long time afterwards, he had thought she loved him.  

            They had begun dating after that first night they'd had sex.  A little bit of her light had come back then and he had started to hope that one day she could love him too.  However, something always stopped her from saying those three little words in all the time they had been together.  He still had hope though; it could still work.  And then, Takeru had walked back into their lives.  Ironic, how the Chosen bearer of hope had taken his away from him.

            When they had returned from whatever trial Gennai had decided to put them through, he noted with a pained heart that the sorrow in her eyes had almost disappeared.  It seemed Takeru had accomplished in two days something Daisuke had been unable to accomplish in nearly two years.  He had broken it off with Hikari shortly afterwards.  It was painfully obvious that she was still in love with him and he was not content playing the number two man in her life.  In that regard, he would never be content.

            Daisuke drew in a shuddering breath.  Funny, how after all this time, it could still affect him like this.  The truth though was that he'd had a much harder time forgetting Yagami, Hikari the second time.  He never should have allowed himself to hope or for her to get that close to him.  Still, he had buried her once and he would do so again.  There really was no other choice.  They were back together now and Hikari wasn't about to let him get away from her again.

            There was a rush of air as the door to his room opened.  A man stepped into the room.  Daisuke recognized him as one of the guards posted outside his door.

            "Praetor Isis would like to speak to you."  The guard intoned tonelessly.  "Come with me."

            With a sigh, Daisuke got up and followed along after the guard.  There really was nothing else he could do at the moment.

______________________________

INTERLUDE

            _'Another day, another building constructed.'_  Gennai thought to himself as he climbed the spiral staircase of the newly constructed north tower.  The repairs to Sanctuary were proceeding according to schedule.  At the current rate, everything would be up and running in another three months' time.  The only problem was that he wasn't sure whether they had that much time.  Events had begun to pick up in the world outside and all signs pointed to a final confrontation looming at the horizon.  And, on top of that there were other concerns such as the newly arrived request from Taichi Yagami.

            A traitor within the ranks of the Chosen was a very serious matter.  He would have to dispatch some of his better spies to keep an eye on all of the Chosen.  That they had their suspicions was all fine and good but he wasn't about to take any chances.  His own plans had been proceeding for seven hundred years and now was not the time for them to be derailed.  So entrenched was he in his own thoughts that he did not notice the slightly glazed look in the eyes of the two guards outside his office door.

            "The greater the darkness, the stronger the light."  A soft, low feminine voice said as he stepped into his office.  Pausing, he observed the cloaked and hooded figure standing in front of his desk.  Her back was to him.  "Was that not what you said to me long ago?" 

            Gennai closed his eyes, thinking back to a scared little girl sitting across from him with no clue as to the fate that awaited her.  "It seems you have let that sentence define your life."  He replied slowly, closing the door behind him.

            The hooded figure shrugged.  "All things considered, it was inspirational."

            Gennai frowned, crossing over to his desk and sitting down.  "This is a surprising visit.  My compliments on sneaking past our guards; although for one of your abilities, it would have been child's play.  So, to what do I owe a visit from the Chosen Bearer of Light?"

            Hikari Yagami flipped back the hood of the cloak she was wearing.  "How much do you know of what is going on outside Sanctuary?"

            "If you are talking about the return of the Ishida brother's, I am well aware of that development."

            "Good," Hikari replied, taking a seat.  "I am here on behalf of Takeru.  What do you know of the man calling himself Yamato Ishida?"

            "Well, well," Gennai said quirking an eyebrow, "does young Takeru distrust him?"

            "Let us just say that he has his reasons to doubt the man's identity."

            "He should not."  Gennai sighed, leaning back in his chair.  "Tell me, how much do you know of the man?"

            "As much as everybody else in the group.  He told us that you harvested his memories and implanted them into Takeru while the Elders built him a body."

            "All true," Gennai responded with a nod.  "What more do you need to know?"

            The girl in front of him smiled but it did not reach her eyes.  "What reason would these Elders have in removing Takeru from their cause?  What threat does he pose to them?"

            Gennai kept his expression guarded although he was quite alarmed.  This was an unexpected development and it threatened his plans.  What had changed among the Elders?  They had been content to watch from the sidelines thus far so why the sudden interest in lowly mortal affairs?  Something had them scared.

            "Well?"  Hikari questioned impatiently.

            "I don't know anything considering that particular development."  It wasn't the complete truth; he had his suspicions.  Judging by the stony look on the Child of Light's face, she had not bought the half-truth.

            "Let me be perfectly clear, old man," she said quietly.  "I will not allow him to become a pawn in another one of you games.  And if necessary, I will see you and your order destroyed."

            "We are not your enemies."

            "If you try to use him, I won't make any distinction."

            And that was that apparently.  The child really had no comprehension of her own fate.  However, she wielded enough power to make his life difficult.  He needed to seek consultation.  After the Bearer of Light had departed, he waited a few minutes and then spoke into the empty room.  "Did she detect you?"

            Towards one corner of the room, the air seemed to swirl together assuming the form of an Angel Digimon.  "I do not think so," Angemon said in reply to Gennai's question.  "If she ran a complex enough scan on the room, she may have been aware of a presence but she would not know if it was me."

            "What do we do?"

            "We continue on with our plan."  Angemon said, his lips twisting into a frown.  "There is an added element of risk now but it should not prove too problematic."

            Gennai looked at Angemon in astonishment.  "How can you say that?  Especially now, with the Elders directly involving themselves."

            "I have been thinking of their... involvement," he said the last word disgustedly, "ever since we left their dimension.  We all thought Sumeragi was working for the Valeru and he probably did have ties to that monster but right now, it is becoming increasingly likely that he had close ties to the Elders as well."

            "You don't mean..." Gennai trailed off, genuinely surprised.  Being so long-lived, surprise was an emotion he rarely felt.  However, every now an then, something like this always managed to catch him off guard.

            "Yes," Angemon nodded.  "Yamato's murder was deliberate.  I believe the Elders wanted at least one soul here that they could directly influence.  Understandable, considering what is at stake."

            "They are scared."  And that revelation was just as astonishing as the one before.

            "I fear their ire was raised when Setsuna interfered directly between Takeru and Hikari.  If it had only been about saving Hokuto, they probably would not have cared.  Which brings me to the Prophecy of Darkness and Light."

            "Ah yes, that."  Gennai scowled at the Digimon.  "I worked damned hard to destroy all records of that Prophecy the first time.  Why is it that you never told me Takeru had a copy?"

            "I had no idea he had a copy."  Angemon said defensively.  "Contrary to popular belief, he does not tell me everything."

            "Why didn't Setsuna come forward then?  This threatens all of our plans.  If the other Chosen learn of what is in that Prophecy, it could ruin everything."

            "Setsuna did not come forward because he is conserving his strength.  It will only be another two or three years before all of our planning comes to fruition."

            "Will he be able to handle a being with that much power?"  Gennai questioned worriedly.  "If it can give the Elders pause..."

            Angemon grinned, wagging a finger in the air.  "You're getting slow in your old age, friend.  Remember the oldest precept of this world; siblings cannot use their powers against one another.  That rule is written directly into the genetic code.  This new path may have been an improvisation but in some ways it is better then our original plan.  Now then, how will you take care of the Prophecy?"

            "I have already thought of that.  My agents on the various continents will take care of that little detail soon enough."

            "Risky!"  Angemon exclaimed.  "They may come to suspect you."

            It was Gennai's turn to grin.  "I won't order them to destroy the Prophecy fully; that was where we erred the first time.  This time, I will only cut out the parts relating to our plan.  Everything else is just the hoary old mumblings of a mad prophet."

            "Good," Angemon replied thoughtfully.  "I should take my leave then.  My counterpart needs to know of these developments."

            "You are heading back to Sever."

            "Yes, Takeru will likely return there first as well."

            "Good luck then friend and keep him safe."

            Angemon nodded, retreating from the room.  After a few minutes of quiet contemplation, Gennai returned to running the day-to-day operations of Sanctuary.  Everything else would work itself out sooner or later and even if it did not, they were all likely to die at least once anyway.

END INTERLUDE

___________________________________

            The Praetor was awaiting him at the entrance to a room.  As Daisuke approached, he studied her.  The woman was definitely excited and doing a poor job of hiding it.  Her arrogant posture was still there but was tempered now by the impatient tapping of her foot.  She noticed him and nearly all of the telltale signs of her excitement disappeared.  It was admirable but then again, Hikari would not have shown that she was excited in the first place.  Grimacing inwardly, he banished that particular thought.  This habit of comparing nearly every woman he met to his first love had to go.  He would never be able to move past her if he kept thinking this way.

            "Have your people reached a decision?"  He questioned, stepping past the guard accompanying him and coming to a stop in front of her.

            "Yes," she replied impassively.  "Before I tell you their decision, I need to show you something."

            "I don't have time for any more games," he growled impatiently.

            "No games," she said mildly, opening the doors to the room behind her.  "What I am about to show you has only been seen by the members of our Assembly."  She glanced past him at the guard.  "Wait out here."  And with that order given, she led him inside the room.

            The room turned out to be a rather long hallway and he could not see an end to it.  The most noticeable feature of the hallway was the elaborate drawings that covered the walls on both sides. 

            "The Hall of Ages."  Isis said, running a hand down one drawing.  "These walls tell of important events that have occurred or will occur."

            "A guide into the future?"

            "After a fashion," she murmured softly.  "The problem though is that if we peak at future events, we risk changing the future.  Seven hundred years ago, one man did peak and the result was the Great Catastrophe."  She turned around, gazing steadily at him.  "How much do you know of the true history of Earth?"

            "You mean the Valeru and how humans did not spring from this planet?"  Daisuke made his tone light, almost conversational.  "Yes, I know all that."  It was oddly pleasing to see that strict demeanor ruffled once more.

            "That... is a lot more then I expected you to know."  She replied softly, keeping her voice controlled although there was a hint of puzzlement underlying her tone.  "How did you learn all of that?"

            He considered his options briefly.  Telling her of Yamato's return posed no serious threat and yet he did not want to divulge such information.  These people already knew a lot more about them then they should and Yamato's return might well be kept a secret for a while longer.  It may even prove an asset in the future.  

             Decision made, Daisuke said, "I have my sources, the same as you.  Get on with your story."

            "I assume you know about the Elders."  Her voice was clipped now, a bit annoyed.  He didn't care though as he was getting fed up with all of these games.

            "Yes."

            "Ok then, I will skip forward to seven hundred years ago.  What do you know of the Great Catastrophe?"

            "Not much," Daisuke admitted slowly.  "We were only told that it happened because the Undersea Master tried to escape from his prison and the resulting shockwaves created the two dimensions."

            "You were lied to."  Isis said bluntly.  "I will tell you the true story of what occurred back then but you will have to vow that it will not go beyond these rooms.  You will not be allowed to tell this to the Chosen or anybody else."

            "And I suppose my freedom is dependant upon this?"

            "It is."  Her words hung in the air, an ultimatum that he had no choice but to take.

            "I agree," he said quietly.  "Go on."

            "The blame for what happened seven hundred years ago cannot be laid solely at the feet of the Undersea Master.  It all happened because of a man named Setsuna Monou and his thirst for power."  She paused, thinking over her words.  "But I suppose, it really began long before that.  At the turn of the nine hundredth year on the Zenon Calendar, the Earth was entering a new Golden Age.  The great seven continents you know today were all joined together back then and centers of great technology were springing up all over this one giant landmass.  It was the result of combining magic with natural science.  However, there were still a great number of problems.  The biggest problem was the differences among the many races of mankind.  One man foresaw this and knew that unless a viable solution was presented, mankind could become entrenched in wars of great devastation very easily.  Since every single nation back then had access to some degree of sophisticated technology, this man's fears were well founded.  To prevent such a thing from happening, this man created a city independent of the main Continent.  This city was to impose order over a chaotic world and would act as a common ground where emissaries from all these separate nations could meet.  You are standing in that city, Daisuke Motomiya."

            Daisuke raised one eyebrow.  "I take it something went wrong with your mission."

            "Yes, the destruction of the world as it was then came in the form of one man.  Cthulhu had begun to stir in his prison and the Chosen were called upon to deal with him.  However, one member in the group betrayed the rest.  His name was Setsuna Monou and his hunger for power led him to form a union with Cthulhu.  He killed the Chosen for his dark master and took their powers within himself and then he went after this city's creator.  Sho Shinjo was the most powerful warlock of that time and taking his powers allowed Setsuna to tap into the energy of the Earth.  That was just the beginning though.  Killing Sho allowed him to tap into Earth's energy but it was not enough and so using his own powers, he somehow managed to tap into the potential of every single man and woman of Earth.  Then, like a mad dog, he turned on his master and their resulting battle tore the Earth, splitting the one massive continent into seven pieces.  That conflict also created the Digital World and the Dark Ocean.

            A conflict of this scale was sure to draw attention though and much of humanity now knew that something was happening on Earth beyond their comprehension.  To cover everything up, Setsuna drew upon his powers again.  Somehow, he deluded an entire planet into believing what he wanted them to believe.  We still don't know how he accomplished this but the result was that everybody on Earth now thought of magic as a mere myth.  Furthermore, natural technology was set back a great deal.

            Our city was a casualty late in the war.  Setsuna managed to send us here to keep us out of the way.  He likely thought that we would die out since conception is impossible in this world.  But, he did not count on our resiliency.  You see, our people were early geneticists.  We were obsessed with trying to create the perfect type of human.  Sho Shinjo was one of our experiments and he was considered one of our biggest successes.  Overtime, in this world, we managed to adapt until we became beings of pure energy."

            Daisuke blinked.  "What do you mean?"  He questioned slowly.  "Are you saying that you are like Digimon?"

            "In essence, I suppose we are.  We do not go through evolution states like they do and we have not solved the problem of conception but we have made ourselves immortal.  But, what is most interesting is that some of the people we engineered and left on Earth have managed to survive to this day."  Her eyes flashed mysteriously and he had a feeling that the axe was about to drop.  "You had a dream and you said it was vivid.  The Chosen are no strangers to this phenomenon but you are human.  I went back and checked your DNA and then ran the tests against the DNA of Sho Shinjo.  The strands matched perfectly.  You are the genetic reincarnation of our leader.  What you dreamed was a racial memory."  When he remained silent, she continued.  "I made this known to the Assembly and they were sufficiently swayed to caste their lot in your favor.  We will make ourselves known to the outside world but we will only follow you."

            He remained quiet, trying to wrap his mind around everything he had just heard.  When he spoke, his voice was hoarse.  "I... I am not a leader." 

            "Only because you gave up the position," she replied quickly.  "Yagami, Hikari always coveted the role of leader, however, you are the better choice because you have not sacrificed your principles.  The destruction of Primary Village is a good example."

            Daisuke quickly thought over everything he had just heard.  He needed to think this over but it seemed he was to be robbed of that chance.  Suddenly, a loud siren began to go off.  He stared at Isis in surprise seeing his expression mirrored there.  She rushed towards the door and opened it.  The guard outside immediately snapped to attention.  Peering over her shoulder, Daisuke saw another guard come hurrying up.

            "Praetor," he said, bowing.  "There have been enemies sighted approaching the city.  It is a team of twenty virus type Digimon."

            The only thought that crossed Daisuke's mind at that moment was that he had managed to mess up again.

________________________________________________________________________

A man who despised the dark but was consumed by it.  How far will he go before he can no longer turn back?  Next Chapter: Takeru's story.


	6. Chapter Six

****

THE FINAL BATTLE (CHAPTER SIX)

DISCLAIMER: If I owned Digimon, I would have given the girl's breasts in the anime.

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A/N: All I can say about this chapter thus far is that if you have not exactly been enamored with my pacing thus far, this chapter won't change your mind. It's basically a jumbled mess of threads, which hopefully will lead to a fair resolution as you get to the end. I will say this though, prepare to be shocked (I think I may have gone overboard here) and there are tiny Shounen Ai hints in this which is sorta silly cause I never figured myself for someone that wrote stuff like that.

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On a small island amidst a large ocean, an aircraft descended. It raised a small cloud of dust as it settled to the stony shore. A hatch swung open at its side and a lone figure jumped down onto the island. He waited until a white shaft of light appeared in the air in front of him. A dark haired woman exited the makeshift portal, looking around critically.

"You are late," she said, turning towards him. "Is the host giving you trouble?"

The man slowly shook his head. "I can keep him under control. He acts up every now and then but the activity is getting less frequent."

"Good, I hope I don't need to remind you of how important your host is to our cause." She looked at him critically and seemed to like what she saw. "Well, is it done?"

"Yes," he replied.

"And your comrades?"

"They do not suspect a thing. However, there are two other concerns; Takeru and Yamato Ishida have returned."

The woman's eyes widened slightly and then she burst out into laughter. "Takeru has returned?" She said with a smile. "This will please our Master." Her expression indicated that it pleased her as well. "What are the two brothers up to?"

"Of Yamato, I don't know."

"The Elders have probably given him his own missions to pursue." She added musingly. "We were anticipating his return at some point. What about Takeru?"

"He is accompanying Calstrom on the mission to Kroy."

The woman smiled. "Excellent. You've done well, return to your post and keep us informed of any future developments."

Her black hair flowing wildly in the wind, she watched his aircraft leave. After a few more minutes of quiet contemplation, she opened a portal back to her dimension. Her lord would want to know of this newest development. And then, she had a reunion to look forward to when she went to Kroy.

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Groaning, Takeru opened his eyes and stretched his arms over his head. It proved to be a mistake as fiery pain lanced across his chest. With a slight grimace he unbuttoned his shirt and checked underneath. Sure enough, blood was already beginning to seep through to his undershirt. Rolling up his shirt, he looked wryly at the three deep horizontal slashes on his chest. At some time in the near future, he was going to have to recommend to Hikari that she trim her nails.

With a sigh, he brought his right arm up and laid it against the wounds. Cool, soothing energy began to flow out of his palm and the gashes began to close slowly. Without his crest, the process was much slower although technically, he could still have sped it up. However, that required releasing energy from inside himself and throughout his whole body. A process that was sure to leave him exhausted. It was better just to concentrate the energy through his hand. He could control its ebb and flow much better that way.

Closing his eyes, Takeru leaned back, bringing his other hand behind his head to serve as a makeshift pillow. Six years spent building up his mental discipline and it had all deserted him in a matter of minutes. That genuinely scared him at times, how quickly he lost himself in her arms. It was apparently dangerous too as the scars on his chest showed.

_Gasping weakly, he lay spent, her arms forcefully pinning his... and the partition he had enforced on his mind crumbled linking his physical self with his mental image once again._

God, what a woman she was. He had been everywhere in both the digital and real world and not in six years had anyone mastered him quite as she had. And again he found himself wondering what about her, always caused him to give in. There was definitely a clash of wills between them and so far he had not won one single encounter. It had to be her eyes. The way she looked at him with that raw, unbridled sensuality, it always took him out of his element. It all pointed at just one conclusion; she meant to be the dominant partner in their relationship. Whether because she did not trust him or just plain liked being in control, he could no longer tell.

Takeru opened his eyes, feeling the first wound on his chest close. She had become harder over the past two years. The Hikari he had left had not especially been soft but this one made her seem like a kitten in comparison. By contrast, he seemed to have grown softer and in the world they lived in, that was a serious mistake. There were enemies of his still out there and they would come for him eventually. The last thing he wanted was to get Hikari involved in something from his past. She was tougher and smarter then him in many ways but she was used to direct conflicts. The people he had dealt with were anything but direct, subterfuge being their greatest weapon. When he completed this mission, it would be a message to anybody that chose to take up old grudges that Takeru Ishida was still one of the deadliest men alive. It would make them think twice before coming after him or Hikari. 

As the second wound closed, Takeru sat up and looked down at his chest. The gashes had been deep enough to leave scars. With a slight smile he remembered her hurried apology. It had been oddly hilarious considering how ruthlessly she had been treating him a moment earlier. The wounds had worked out in his favor though and she had been forced to cut her 'lesson' short because of them. Looking down wryly at them now, he had to concede that they might actually be an improvement over the network of fire and acid marks that graced most of his upper body. He had never thought of himself as vain but he had always been self conscious of the marks. It had all been part of the torture and its scars had been imprinted on his mind as well as his body. Every time he gazed into a mirror and saw his unmarked face, he would be reminded of the imperfection of the rest of his body. It had been especially bad that first night with Hikari. She had been so beautiful, seeming to glow with a pale, ethereal light, an angel come to earth. He had felt like an ogre in comparison and had even pleaded with her to let him keep his shirt. In the end, it had not mattered. She hadn't shied away, had not even hesitated. He had felt silly for even doubting her afterwards. The woman had held him in her arms as Ken and Jyou had worked desperately to save him that first time. She had seen him at his worse then. Still, he could forgive her anything for that one moment alone albeit he still owed her so much more for everything else.

Takeru rose to his feet as the last gash on his chest closed. With a small sigh, he put all thoughts of Hikari and the rest out of his mid. He needed to focus on the mission now. Out here, there was nothing but himself and his skill. He would hone it back to the deadly edge he needed, however first he had to get rid of Corwin. The man was an able spy but he would only end up dead if he tagged along and Takeru did not want any more dead people on his conscience. Thankfully, Hikari had given him the perfect excuse.

Stretching his hands over his head again, Takeru began to check his surroundings. He was still in the small cargo hold he had fallen asleep in after boarding the aircraft. The craft had been undergoing prep time and the cockpit had been under extensive scrutiny from an engineering team so he had not been able to find any rest there. That had brought him into the cargo hold and he had lain against one of the boxes to catch a quick nap. It was only supposed to be for a half-hour or so and he should have awoken when the craft took off but he had not. That was a disturbing occurrence in itself. Such lack of focus would get him killed.

There was a soft creaking sound from behind him and he turned to see a small door behind him open. Corwin stepped into the room and froze upon seeing him. Before he could question him about the blood on his shirt, Takeru said, "We have a problem."

"Apparently," Corwin replied eyeing his undershirt. "What happened?"

"I was contacted by one of the Chosen. She told me that the mission has been compromised."

"Do they want us to come back?"

"You will be returning," Takeru said turning away. "I will continue on alone when we get to the drop site. Now, did you get that particular item I asked you to secure?"

Wordlessly, Corwin walked over to one of the boxes and opened it. Takeru stepped forward and sifted through the contents of the box. It was all there, the basic tools of the trade for their kind. However, he only needed one item among the myriad dozen the box contained.

Looking back at Corwin, he said, "I will need some privacy for the next few minutes."

The man nodded and walked out of the cargo hold. Takeru watched him leave and then removed a mirror from the box. Disguises were all well and good but he had long since absolved himself of the need to use mundane methods such as skin coloring and wigs. It had all come about when he had been studying the matter transformation technique. However, he had not used it to transform the Digital World but rather himself. It had required a sacrifice though and after a long consultation with Azulongmon, he had given up part of his humanity and had become partially digital himself. The result being that he could now transform the data that was his body into whatever he desired. There were restrictions though. He could not alter the length or width of his own body and was constrained by it and then there was the slight feeling of nausea he got whenever he stepped onto Earth. But, what mattered a few moments of nausea in the real world when he had been transformed into a veritable changeling?

Taking off his shirts, he looked into the mirror and began to concentrate. The skin on his face began to flow as if made from clay, reforming itself into brand new features. The hair on his head turned completely black. His body underwent a similar transformation, his skin blurring until all scars were gone. The color of his skin also changed subtly, becoming a little bit darker. As always, the process left him on the verge of throwing up. Reforming his body always brought forth the same queasy feeling but he had learned to master it. The first time though, he had ended up vomiting for hours.

Raising the mirror, he checked his features closely. Satisfied that he had gotten every detail right, he replaced the mirror and pulled out a brown haired wig. He placed the item over his head, pinning it in place. He did not need it but it was necessary for the initial deception. Then, he looked down at his shirt which had been soaked through with blood. Concentrating, he reformed the shirt until the stains were gone and then put it on. Checking himself in the mirror one final time, he walked out of the cargo bay and into the cockpit of the aircraft. His erstwhile companion was waiting for him there. Calmly, he took the empty chair behind his seat.

There was silence for a long time and then suddenly Corwin swiveled his chair, turning it around to face Takeru. His eyes widened a bit as he took in Takeru's appearance. "That may well be the best application of makeup I've seen." He said slowly.

Takeru chuckled softly. "I didn't use makeup and that is about all I'll say on the subject."

Corwin nodded slowly. "May I ask a question?" He asked formally.

Takeru raised an eyebrow in amusement. "Go ahead; I am not a man that discourages curiosity."

"How exactly do you intend to proceed when you know that the mission has been compromised?"

"I have a plan." Takeru replied laconically. "You'll understand why I can't reveal it to you."

Corwin nodded slowly.

"Anything else on your mind?" Takeru replied stifling a yawn. "We're still a day or two from our course and I'd like to get some actual sleep."

The boy seemed to struggle with his words. "They do studies about you at Sanctuary." He finally said hurriedly. "The things you did, the missions you carried out, they have all become the stuff of legends. When I first went to Sanctuary, the first mission we studied was how you infiltrated and destroyed the Singapore base of the Renegade Guardians. That one mission has made you the single most looked-up-to man at Sanctuary."

Takeru sighed, rubbing his eyes. "Have things gotten that bad at Sanctuary?" He questioned tiredly. "There are others like Peter Lehnsherr, Lyanna Hunt, and Erik Wagner who are far more worthy of praise then I am."

Corwin shook his head. "None of them came close to doing what you did and at such a young age too."

Takeru sighed again. "None of them gave up their humanity either." He studied the boy in front of him and then grunted in resignation. "I will tell you something that only the other Chosen know about me. I used to hate the darkness once, hated it with all of my being. Yet, in hunting down Sumeragi, I embraced the darkness until I was consumed by it. I did things that I am not proud of but I do not regret them either. There were compromises I made with myself that nobody should have to make." He sighed once more. "In the end I did not even care whether I lived or died and that allowed me to take risks no sane man would take. How I was isn't something most people can emulate and still expect to survive."

"Is that why you're going on this mission?"

"My reasons are my own." Takeru said, leaning back in his seat and closing his eyes. "Now, is there anything else you feel the need to discuss?"

"Just one thing more. What should I do when I've dropped you off?"

Takeru opened one eye. "You should head back to Lord Yagami and tell him to ready a legion or two but not to make it too obvious. And tell him and Lady Yagami not to worry." He added almost as an afterthought. 

"Lady Yagami?" Corwin questioned with a raised eyebrow.

Takeru yawned, "Feel free to add anything else that will get me out of trouble. As it is, both of them are likely to be supremely pissed off that I've defied their orders."

Not waiting for a reply, he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

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It was near midnight when a man walked out of the darkness and into the lit pathway leading to the City of Kroy. From beneath a hood, which covered his face, he observed the city. The construction outside the walls surprised him. The skeletons of two unfinished buildings poked up garishly into the night sky. A number of tents and watch fires were set up around the buildings. It looked oddly like a shantytown he had seen in the U.S once only much smaller in scale. Apparently Cain was expanding his operations. What was even more surprising was that there was no visible protection for the buildings. Cain must have felt pretty comfortable in his position to be so obviously lax in providing a suitable defense. 

A small formation of rocks caught his eye as he neared the city. He barely spared them a glance, continuing towards the city. Passing amidst the tents, he made out one or two slumbering forms and then he was past the town and approaching the city gates. They were open but were guarded by two sentries in dark black cloaks. He raised his hands to indicate that he had no weapons while walking towards the guards. The two were large, muscular men, easily topping his six-foot frame. There were arm blasters affixed to their hands. Both snapped to after spotting him.

"State your name and your business." One of the guards said laconically as he came to pause before them.

"Joseph Kurowda," he replied softly, lowering his arms. "You've probably got my name on file already as well as orders to let me through."

Both guards glanced at each other and then stepped aside, allowing him entry. With a small smile, he stepped past them and crossed the gates into the city. Inside, Kroy was much as he had remembered it. Cobbled streets stretched out through the city in organized fashion with street lamps at every corner to illuminate the way. The buildings themselves were made out of cold hard stone and were generally shaped like giant upright rectangles, packed tightly together.

As he walked down the main street leading into the city, he was aware that he was being watched. Stopping under a streetlight, he held up his fist and flashed a series of hand signals. After a few minutes, he continued on his way. Following the winding road he arrived at the town-square. From there, he took a side street and headed towards the Western part of town. After a thirty-minute walk he finally arrived at his destination. It was an old inn with a wooden sign hanging above the doorway depicting a man being hung, the hangman's inn. A dim light from under the doorway told him that it was still open.

He pushed the door open and stepped into the building. The main room of the inn was spacious, filled with tables, four chairs affixed to each. In the middle of the room was the bar within which a man sat, his eyes closed in sleep. Glancing around the room, Joseph noted a lone figure sitting at a table towards the far-left corner of the room. He made his way slowly towards that figure and took at seat at the table.

"Hello," he nodded in greeting. "I take it everything has been taken care of."

The Leomon looked at him from behind golden eyes. "Yes, I checked the room's coding and the inn keeper was easy to put to sleep." He placed a paw on the table and slid a digivice towards Joseph who picked it up and pocketed it.

"Why didn't you meet me outside? I barely even saw your markings."

"They were observing me and I could not guarantee complete privacy in such an open place. Here, I can guarantee privacy. Oh sure, they might have followed you but I know you were cagey enough to flash them the signals showing that you are a senior member of the Renegade Guardians. It should give us enough time to settle accounts while they check for verification."

"All right," Joseph said nodding his head, "I suppose you're right. So, what is our timeline?"

"There is going to be a fete at Cain's Citadel this time next week. I can have everything done by then and it will give us adequate cover to do everything that needs to be done."

Joseph nodded thoughtfully. "They may cancel it if the plan goes through."

"They won't," the Leomon reassured. "Not if everything goes through. They will need the party to keep the tempers in the city down." He rose to his feet. "The details are on the D3 I gave you as well as the roof schematics for this whole city. There's a file on a friend of yours inside this city as well. I think he will be particularly helpful. I've also gotten you a room upstairs. It's the fourth door down the hall."

Joseph grunted, rising to his feet as well. "For what I'm paying you, this had better go off without a hitch."

The Leomon grinned at him in a rather feral manner. "You and I both know that is relatively impossible. What I can guarantee is that you will receive my usual standard which, if I may brag, is better then that other oaf you contracted for the latter part of this assignment."

Joseph laughed heartily. "I'll tell Ninjamon, you said hello."

Still grinning, the Leomon turned and left the room. Joseph sat back down at his table and took out the D3 he had been given. Inputting his password, he sat down and reviewed the fine details that the Leomon would be carrying out. When he was thoroughly satisfied, he went upstairs to his room.

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It came for him later that night.

Joseph had stayed awake, anticipating its arrival. So, it came as no surprise to him when the shadows in one corner of the room suddenly coalesced, taking a humanoid form. He waited patiently for the Digimon to literally pull itself together.

It was man sized but completely formless. Where there should have been a face was simply smooth black shadow. It did not even have hands, its arms ending in a featureless mound. Joseph recognized it immediately, having dealt with its kind before. It was a Shadowmon. A being employed as a herald, an assassin and in various other roles.

"You are summoned by Ambassador Aidan Black." The Shadowmon's voice was hollow, metallic, coming from a face with no mouth.

Joseph bowed his head in acceptance. "When does he expect me?"

"Right now." There was a hint of menace in its voice now. Apparently, no was not an acceptable answer to this summons. Retrieving his cloak, Takeru motioned for the Digimon to lead. It turned and stepped towards the door, the data at the end of one of its hands twisting until it resembled a crude imitation hand with only three fingers. Grasping the door, it twisted the knob and stepped outside. Joseph followed along in its wake, exiting the room and heading outside. It was still dark and the only illumination came from the Moon and the various street lamps.

The Shadowmon set a brisk pace but Joseph walked sedately, travelling at his own pace. As a result, the Digimon sometimes ended up several blocks ahead of the human it was leading. It would then wait until Joseph caught up. No further words or threats were exchanged though.

After a full hour of walking, they arrived at the mansion. There was no other way to describe the compound. Surrounded by a gated fence, with barbed wire at the top, it was a large building spread out over several hundred feet. Two smaller buildings stood apart from the main compound. A large gate guarded by a couple of sentries closed off the entrance to the compound. They were passed through the gate without any questions.

As they approached the mansion, Joseph began observing his surroundings, taking in details like sentry points, window positions and the time it took to cross from the main gate to the mansion itself. As they entered the mansion, he kept up his observation, noting exit points and the concentration of guards inside the building.

"Inside," the Shadowmon said, coming to a stop and motioning towards an opulent wooden door.

Joseph twisted the handle, opened the door and stepped into the room beyond. A large window dominated the far wall of the room, looking down upon the world outside. Underneath the window, sat an opulent mahogany desk with two lamps at each corner, which provided the only light in the room. At the desk sat two men, locked in concentration over what appeared to be the board game, GO.

Grinning, Joseph crossed the room and plopped down on an extra seat set next to one of the men. "Was the summons necessary?" He questioned lightly. "I was planning on coming here tomorrow."

The two men exchanged glances. "We thought you were stranded on earth." The black haired man sitting behind the desk spoke. There hasn't been any news of you in nearly three years and suddenly you show up today. Where the hell have you been?"

"I've been laying low Aidan." Joseph replied ruefully. "The Guardians almost cornered me and I decided to hide out for a while. I've gathered quite a bit of information in the interim though. Information which you should find quite useful."

"Such as?"

Joseph wagged a finger in the air. "Not so fast. First you two need to explain to me why you've joined the Undersea Master. I thought we all decided not to take that course."

"Circumstances changed," Aidan said, running a hand through his black hair. "We had nothing to fall back on when contact with Earth was severed. It was either, get hunted down by the Guardians or go over to the Dark Ocean. The Chosen certainly weren't an option considering our ties with Ryo."

Joseph sighed softly. "Things just haven't been the same since Ryo's death. He would not have allowed things to spiral so far out of control."

The three men sat in silence, lost in thoughts of the past.

"So," the blonde haired man sitting beside Joseph said, breaking the silence, "what is this important information you have for us?"

A small smile crossed Joseph's face. "I was beginning to wonder when you were going to join in, Jonathan." He paused a moment, gathering his words and then continued. "Well, did you two know that Taichi Yagami was going to send in a spy to the Dark Ocean through you two?"

Aidan snorted, leaning back in his chair. "Is that all," he scoffed. "You are losing your touch old friend."

"So you knew," Joseph said, nodding his head thoughtfully. "It explains why he cancelled the mission. Something has clued them in to the fact that they have been infiltrated."

"That's a matter for the higher ups to ponder," Aidan responded with a shrug. "We only run the Embassy here."

"Has your ambition dried up that much?" Joseph questioned disdainfully. His remark had the desired effect, causing both men to stiffen in their chairs and shoot him twin scowls.

"Go carefully, Joe," Jonathan warned in a low voice. "You have no idea what we have been through."

"And what happened to keeping a low profile," Aidan added.

Joseph yawned. "You two have already committed yourself to a path; you might as well take it all the way. It's like Ryo said all those years ago; what use is there in belonging to an organization if you don't wield any power. That was why we left the Guardians in the first place."

"And you can get us this power."

"I may be able to," Joseph answered mysteriously. "I have one more thing that I don't think either of you know. Taichi Yagami has sent an assassin to take out Cain."

From the pole-axed look on both men's faces, he could tell that they had not known this. 

"Who is this assassin?" Aidan questioned slowly.

Smiling, Joseph leaned back in his chair. "Me."

"You were hiding among the Chosen?" Jon asked incredulously.

Joseph shrugged. "The risks were substantially lowered considering that Takeru Ishida had gone missing. He was finally off my trail and when the gateways to Earth were taken out, I decided to attach myself to Taichi Yagami."

"All right," Aidan said thoughtfully, "what do you want out of all this? You can't just be doing this to help us."

"I want what I have always wanted, power." Joseph answered with a smirk. "I will never be able to achieve this goal on my own so I need you two. Together, my friends, we can still attain the status stolen from us when Ryo died."

The rest of the night was spent coming up with plans.

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Next Afternoon

The rooftops of Kroy were a road unto themselves. There was a definite structure there and it led to several key positions in the city. At a main juncture, in the middle of the city, there were pathways leading in different directions. It was at this juncture where Takeru stood, staring intently at the D3 in his palm and memorizing the various different pathways. After he was done, he turned towards the Western district and started off towards the Chosen Embassy. 

From a nearby roof, he studied the small building that was Taichi's representation in this city. Unlike the Dark Ocean Embassy, it did not stand out at all. A glaring reminder, it seemed, of the power struggle within the city and which faction was winning. Or, at least that was how it was supposed to look; a sharper eye saw things differently. Where the Dark Ocean Embassy was a large compound set apart from the rest of the city, the Chosen Embassy was quite the opposite. It sat within the city's Eastern district, surrounded by other similar buildings. It served as a symbol of the open handed philosophy of the Chosen.

From the top of the roof, Takeru observed two sentries standing outside the main entrance to the building. Raising the hood of his cloak over his face, he backed off the roof and found a fairly deserted alley that he could climb down to. From there, he made his way to the Chosen Embassy on foot. The sentries stopped him but he gave them the code he had taken from Corwin and was admitted after they had cleared him. One of the guards escorted him to a private room where Taichi's Ambassador sat eating lunch. Still cloaked and hooded, he crossed the room and took a seat opposite the golden haired woman who was the appointed Chosen representative in the City of Kroy.

"What are you doing here?" She asked calmly, sipping from a cup of tea. "Was your cover blown?"

He grinned inwardly; Catherine had lost her thick French accent. It had been a pleasant surprise learning that she was the Ambassador here. Reaching up, he pushed back the hood covering his face. The woman's eyes widened with recognition.

"Bonjour," he said with a smile, raising a hand in greeting, "you're looking well."

"Ta... Takeru," she stuttered in surprise. Her eyes narrowed as she regained control of herself. "What did you do with Corwin?"

"Corwin was compromised, I am here to make sure that his mission succeeds. Now listen carefully, here's what I need you to do." Quickly, he outlined his plan to an increasingly wide-eyed audience.

"You're crazy," she blurted out when he had finished. "They will kill you."

"Only if I'm caught," he replied calmly. "And in any case, this is a risk I have to take. If successful, I will have removed two thorns in our side."

"Key word, if." Catherine shook her head. "Have you considered what could happen if they do capture you. Our reputation would suffer even worse than it will under your plan."

"I will take steps to ensure that it won't," Takeru said evenly. "Besides, even if I am captured, it will give you deniability. I have always been considered a 'loose cannon' and no one has heard of me for years."

"Nobody else knows you're back?"

Takeru grimaced. "Well, there is most of Hikari's garrison in Sever and Corwin himself. However, in a world as disconnected as this one, that should not prove much of a problem."

"You would be surprised," Catherine muttered wryly. "Still, I can help you in this instance. I will have Mimi contact Hikari and keep the word from spreading."

"And what about the rest?"

Catherine sighed softly, raising her cup of tea to her mouth again. "I see no other choice. If it was anybody else, I would have them committed for insanity but you've done crazier things before."

Smirking, he leaned back. "Been digging into my past, have you?"

"It was something to do," she replied glibly. "When we first met, we were only together for such a brief period of time. Imagine my surprise when you showed up years later at my house. That meeting was equally brief but it made me curious about Takeru Ishida."

"And what did you learn?"

"That you obviously did not care about your life." She looked at him critically. "We need every able man we can get if we're going to succeed against the Undersea Master. Why are you risking your life so callously?"

"Everybody needs to be used according to their strengths. Mine happen to lie in situations like this and you and I both know the importance of getting intelligence back from the Dark Ocean."

"I suppose." Catherine nodded her head reluctantly. "Well, do you need any weapons?"

Takeru shook his head. "Whatever I need, I can create. You just make sure that you get your part right."

"Oh, I will. When exactly should I expect the summons?"

"It should come sometime during early morning Wednesday."

"And when will you make the actual attempt?"

"On Saturday night, at Cain's fete."

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That Night

Jonathan Stark's mind was awhirl with thoughts as he walked towards his quarters. As had been the norm since Ryo's fall, his thoughts were dark. The plan that Joseph had proposed was fraught with risk and he was not sure whether he wanted any part of it. It wasn't that he didn't want the fame and notoriety that went with it but he was cautious. Fame and Notoriety tended to attract attention and they would certainly attract the attention of Takeru Ishida.

Just thinking of the little punk worsened his mood. He was among the few Rogues that still thought the man would find a way out of whatever trap the Dark Ocean had set for him and then he'd come after all of them. When that happened, Jonathon wanted to be as unnoticeable as possible. He had been one of the men that had tortured the boy after all and he had also been there when Ryo had run a blade across the throat of Yamato Ishida. He had also been there with the others when reports had begun coming in about things going wrong with their organization. In that, he had to admire the boy. He had not only targeted the individuals but he had also targeted their finances and made off with a good amount of money that should have rightfully gone to the four men at the top.

Sighing, he opened the door to his quarters and paused. Closing the door slowly behind him, he stepped into the room.

"About time," Joseph said lightly, rising to his feet from the dining table he had been sitting at. "I was beginning to get worried." He said, smiling lazily.

Heart suddenly drumming in his chest, Jonathan asked, "What are you doing here?"

Joseph took a small step forward. "Now, that wasn't really the welcome I was expecting Jonny."

Jonathan took a step backwards. Joseph seemed to glide across the remaining distance between them, pushing him against the door. "I've missed you," he breathed into Jonathan's ears.

Against his will, Jonathan let out an involuntary moan. "I... we can't do this."

"Still denying yourself," Joseph whispered, his hands slipping under the man's jacket. "I thought we had moved past that."

Jonathan moaned, laying his head against Joseph's shoulder.

"Very good, Jonny." Joseph whispered into his ear. "Why don't we take this somewhere more comfortable."

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Sometime Later

Joseph got up slowly from beside the still sleeping form of Jonathan. The man let out a silent groan of protest at feeling Joseph's arms leave his body but he stayed asleep. Grimacing, Joseph reached towards the dresser at the head of Jonathan's bed. Carefully, he picked up the man's Digivice. Working quickly, he inputted the code and then grabbing his own Digivice, he transferred a hidden file into Jonathan's Digivice. Silently, he replaced the Digivice onto the dresser and then got to his feet. 

There was still a lot of work to be done and he needed to get to it.

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_'In times of peril, a family must not forget its children.'_

Frowning down at the piece of paper, Peter Lehnsherr crumpled it and threw it into the fireplace. It was the fourth draft he'd thrown into the fire. It was really quite funny. One would think that sneaking intelligence out of an enemy stronghold would be the hard part but in his case, he couldn't think of any way to phrase said intelligence. Of course, it wasn't really intelligence that he was sneaking out as much as a plea for extraction. It was likely to go unanswered like the rest of his messages. At this point, he was beginning to wonder whether they had forgotten him.

Sighing, Peter leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. A draft of air caused him to open his eyes and his eyes immediately went to his balcony window, which was standing open. Heart hammering, he whirled around and came face to face with the tip of a knife.

"Easy," a familiar voice cautioned. "If you answer to my satisfaction, this won't have to go beyond an old reunion."

Peter's eyes widened as he stared past the tip of the knife and at a very familiar face. "You... what are you doing here?"

"The same as you, I imagine," Takeru responded moving around the chair and coming to stand in front of Peter. "Your name came up at a meeting I was at yesterday and I began to think, what would a prominent Guardian be doing as Cain's Minister of Finance." He stared down at Peter. "Were you my replacement in this city?"

Peter nodded slowly. "Yes, after you... disappeared, Gennai assigned me here. I was able to gain Cain's confidence and..." His eyes suddenly widened. "You came to kill him, didn't you?"

Takeru nodded wordlessly.

Peter sighed, closing his eyes. "He is not a bad man. I have had a million chances to kill him and I have not taken any of them."

"This needs to be done," Takeru answered without any emotion in his voice. "You and I both know that his naivete stands in the way of progress in our war against the Darkness. It was a problem with him from the start."

Peter nodded reluctantly. "I want you to promise me that you will do this with a minimum of bloodshed."

"All of this will be done with as much efficiency as I am capable of."

"All right then, what do you need me to do?"

Takeru grinned, taking a seat. "At the fete, I will call on you. Be ready."

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2 Days Later

"Checkmate," Joseph smirked triumphantly. "The past three years haven't improved your game much Aidan." He glanced at the third man pacing impatiently in the middle of the room. "Jon, calm down, everything will be fine."

"Easy for you to say," the man snapped. "It isn't your neck on the line if things go bad."

Joseph sighed. "Think of this logically. They can not afford to lose you two, at least not if they want to win this war. At worst, all you'll get is a reprimand and we can start all over again."

"That is a good theory in practice but we are not exactly dealing with humans here. Who knows what a being like the Undersea Master may do."

Joseph waved his hand dismissively. "From everything I have seen of this Undersea Master, he does not seem crazy enough to kill just for small mistakes."

"You have not seen him though." Aidan interjected. "We have stood at the pit in R'lyeh and sworn oaths. Our souls practically belong to him now."

"You are going to have to take me there one of these days." Joseph remarked primly. "I want to meet him myself."

"Your funeral," Jonathan muttered under his breath.

Joseph was about to reply when the door to the room opened and a guard stepped in. "Ambassador Black," he said, bowing, "there is a brigade of President Cain's men outside. They say that their Lord requests your presence at the Citadel."

"That was quick," Aidan remarked. "Are you sure you want to stay behind for this?" He questioned, glancing at Joseph.

"Yes, I am trying not to attract too much unwarranted attention. It will go better if I am not seen among such... austere company."

Both men snorted at that, looking halfway amused. Joseph waited fifteen minutes after they had left to sneak out of the mansion. He had no intention of getting left behind this night. Too many threads were converging and he needed to be there to oversee them all.

Sneaking out of the mansion did not prove to be much of a problem. The city, being practically deserted at night, was also easy to traverse without being spotted. He took the necessary precautions though, sticking to the shadows so as to avoid any unnecessary encounters.

A half-hour after sneaking out of the mansion, he arrived at the Embassy of the Chosen. From the shadows, he observed a full detail of guards as they entered the modest building and dragged out the Ambassador. She was still dressed in her nightgown. A small smile twisted his lips as he heard her berate the guards in a mixture of French and English.

As the guards begun to escort the Ambassador to Cain's Citadel, he pursued the group, sticking close to the shadows. His patient stalking was soon rewarded as one of the guards covering the flank began to fall back a little. Moving quickly, he closed in behind the guard and grabbed him in a chokehold. The man put up a valiant struggle but was no match for his strength. Dragging his body within a dark alley, he emerged moments later disguised in the garb of one of the city militia and joined the security detail in his stead.

The walk to the Citadel took nearly half an hour. As they approached the center of power in the city, Joseph stepped forward a little, observing his surroundings. The main feature of the Citadel was a single tower that dominated the various smaller buildings around it. As the security detail halted outside the main entrance to the Citadel, he quickly stepped forward and joined the main body of guards escorting the Chosen Ambassador inside the main building.

The room they finally arrived in was large and spacious. The one dominating aspect of it was a single seat set high so that people had to gaze upward to see the man seated there. That seat was currently empty, the man supposed to be seated there, mysteriously absent. Beside the chair stood Aidan and Jonathan conversing with a large bald headed man.

"What is the meaning of this?"

The blonde woman's angry voice caused the three men to turn around and look at the entrance to the room. One of the guards at the front grabbed the Ambassador's arm and began to lead her towards the three men. However, there was a small artful misstep, which caused the woman to stumble forward, her robe falling open, a little. With a slight blush, she hastily covered it up. Joseph grinned inwardly. That little bit of theatrics had been quite artful. This woman was quite a good actress.

Minister Lancaster," she said, her voice dripping venom. "What is the meaning of this?" She glanced at the seat beyond them. "And where is Lord Cain? I will file my complaint directly to him."

"I am afraid he is busy at the moment, Ambassador." The Minister replied firmly. "However, you are called here to discuss a very serious matter." He reached into his pocket and withdrew a plastic bag, handing it to the woman.

She scrunched up her face, gazing at the contents inside. "Floramon leaves," she said, looking up at the Minister.

"Leaves from your Floramon," the man explained. "We had the data analyzed." Seeing the mystified expression on her face, he continued, "There was an attempt made on Lord Cain's life earlier tonight. He was seriously injured and is bedridden at the moment. Those leaves were found after the assassin had fled. Where is your partner Digimon now?"

"She left for Rayne earlier tonight," Catherine responded slowly. "She could not have done this."

"When did she leave?"

"At around one o' clock tonight."

"The attempt was made at one, thirty. I am sorry Ambassador but your story only corroborates evidence against you."

"We did not do this," she said adamantly, turning and glaring at the two Dark Ocean representatives. "And what are they doing here?"

"We are the ones that caught wind of your assassination plans," Aidan answered, jumping into the fray. "It came as no shock to us as we know you've tried to use this city to infiltrate the Dark Ocean. In fact, was that not your main intention when you allowed us to buy the contract of Corwin Calstrom knowing full well that he was a spy working for you."

The Minister shook his head. "I have to admit I was surprised at Ambassador Black's accusations but after tonight..." He trailed off, seemingly coming to a decision. "Ambassador Le Moign, pending further investigation, you and your retinue will be confined to your Embassy. Do not try to leave."

The Ambassador drew herself up to her full height, which was still two inches too short of the Minister's six-foot frame. "You are making a mistake." She seemed to grow with each word, her presence dominating the room. "We act as a balance against the Darkness. By condemning us, you are practically handing yourselves to," she cast a contemptuous look at the Dark Ocean representatives, "them."

The Minister motioned for the guards to come forward and they escorted the Ambassador from the room. Having seen all he wanted to see, Joseph also discreetly made his way out of the room.

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Next Evening

Eric had seen many strange sights ever since he had been stranded in the Digital World but a drunk Leomon beat all of them hands down. The patron had stumbled into the tavern around noon and had started ordering drinks left and right. As a result he was now very drunk and quite boisterous. In fact, he had half the tavern singing along with him at the moment. As long as Eric had been co-owner here, he had never heard it this loud.

"Who's up for some gossip?" The Leomon roared, banging his mug hard on the table he was sitting at. Around him, the crowd roared their approval, banging their mugs as well. Eric winced, knowing what was coming next. The Digimon probably had a story about some conquest he had made among the female ranks. In many ways, Digimon and Humans were eerily similar when drunk.

"Did you know," the Leomon began, voice dropping low. Eric had to grin at the theatrics. Maybe the fellow would actually make the story interesting. "Did you know," the Leomon echoed, glancing around the room for added emphasis, "that there was an attempt on Lord Cain's life last night."

Immediately silence engulfed the room and then, suddenly, everybody was shouting again. The Leomon raised a hand and a tentative silence fell again.

"I don't know all the details," he said loudly. "All I know is that there was an attempt that was averted, thank the Gods. However, the Chosen Embassy is currently being kept under close guard."

There was silence as everybody digested the Leomon's words. Eric found himself stunned at the news, an expression that was echoed on the faces of most of the tavern's inhabitants. An attempt on Lord Cain's life was serious matter, that it had come from the Chosen was shocking. The citizens of Kroy did not believe in openly fighting the Dark Ocean but a majority of them did admire the Chosen for what they were doing. This latest news was likely to turn public opinion completely against them.

In the next two days, his thoughts proved to be correct. The mood of the city grew ugly as the rumors spread and it worsened when the body of a dead guard was discovered, streets away from the Chosen Embassy. It all led to a massive demonstration outside the Embassy. A few hot heads nearly caused the whole demonstration to deteriorate into violence but tempers were controlled and order asserted. However, the damage had been done and nearly every soul in the city was on edge, waiting for the other shoe to drop. In consideration of this unrest, Lord Cain decided to go ahead with his fete. It was everybody's hope that the party would liven moods.

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Cain's Fete (Chapter Five Begins)

"Dreadful party," Aidan whispered out of the corner of his mouth.

Joseph snorted softly. "It's supposed to be dreadful; shows our plan is working.

The two men were standing in one corner of a large veranda located at the back of Cain's Citadel. There were tables with various different dishes scattered throughout the open roofed space. Soft, melodious music was being played in the background. An open door at the head of the veranda led to a large spacious room, which was being used as an extension if the party became too large. Yet, for all the elaborate trappings, the mood of the party was definitely subdued.

"Le Moign didn't show up," Aidan mumbled quietly.

"Did you really expect her to? The woman is smart enough to know that she will be at a complete disadvantage here. Not to mention the commoners are out for blood and will set upon her the moment she leaves her compound." Picking up a glass of wine from the tray of a passing waiter, he said, "Relax and enjoy yourself. Everything is going according to plan."

Grunting, Aidan moved away towards a group of dignitaries. Joseph smiled inwardly; this too was going according to plan. For the next two hours, he drifted around the room gauging the general mood of the assembled host. Satisfied that everything was going according to his plan he decided to proceed to the next stage. However, before he could slink off into some remote corner and send a signal, a commotion at the head of the veranda caught his eye. The herald had stepped forward, his face oddly flushed, to announce a late arrival to the party.

"Lady Isuzu Asahina." The Herald announced in a tremulous voice.

The room fell into a hush as a slender, black haired woman walked forward, a large man trailing behind her. The woman's gaze swept the room finally coming to rest on him. 

"What is she doing here?" Jonathan whispered from behind him.

Joseph turned to find both Aidan and Jonathan flanking him. He turned back around, watching the woman impassively as she strode towards them.

"Ambassador, Captain," she nodded to both men respectively, then turned to him. "And you must be the famous Joseph Kurowda."

He fixed a smile to his face, bowing low. "I am honored."

Her black eyes glinted with amusement and he had a sudden feeling of a trapdoor opening under his feet. She knew. The music in the background changed, switching to a slow song.

"That is my favorite song," she purred, extending a hand to him in open invitation. With a smile, he took the proffered hand and led her onto the dance floor. Inwardly, he calmly adjusted his plan in lieu of this latest development.

Isuzu sighed, resting her head against his chest as they began to sway back and forth across the dance floor. "I was beginning to wonder when you were going to show up again," she whispered against his chest. "Three years is a long time Takeru."

"And how much did you have to do with that?" He questioned softly, watching Isuzu's charge pull Aidan and Jonathan aside.

"Who do you think forwarded your coordinates to the Dark Ocean. The coordinates allowed them to ambush you but I knew they wouldn't bring you down that easily."

"So, you **were** a double agent. Gennai suspected, which was why I was assigned under your charge."

"And here I thought it was my charming personality." She quipped sardonically, leaning up suddenly and pressing her lips against his. Her tongue probed at his lips and he let her inside but did not respond to the kiss as she tried to draw him out. After a few more unsuccessful attempts, she broke the kiss. "Still so cold, you haven't changed at all."

He smirked down at her. "I can't say the same about you. The reaction you got when you stepped into the room was not what I would have expected."

"You should know the value of names and deeds in this brave new world of ours." She reached up, running her fingers down the side of his face. "After all, didn't you change your last name from Takaishi to Ishida for symbolic reasons."

He shrugged, conceding the point. "So, where do we go from here? I take it you've got all the exits covered."

She sighed softly, laying her head against his chest again. "A few minutes in my company and already you're thinking of leaving. I may decide to be insulted."

Takeru stepped forward suddenly, dipping her backwards at the waist and then pulling her up roughly. "Would you rather I just kill you now?" He whispered in her ear, leading them around the dance floor again.

"You won't kill me," she responded with conviction. "Stop grandstanding."

He 'tsked' under his breath. "You know me better than that. Ever since we stepped out onto this dance floor, I've been feeding energy directly into your heart. All I have to do is send one single burst to trigger a Cardiac Arrest." Feeling her stiffen in his arms, he smiled. "I will not hesitate to kill you no matter what you think may have passed between us."

"Then what is stopping you." She quickly reached up and placed a finger over his lips. "Wait, let me guess; you need me. With your cover blown, I'm the only way you have to get to the Dark Ocean and you and I both know that Takeru Ishida will go to any lengths to complete a mission. You think you can use me and then have that Leomon you contracted come and save you." Her eyes twinkled with amusement as she gazed up at him. "Whatever your plans were, they stop tonight. I have already had your Leomon picked up and there is a full legion waiting outside to escort you back to the mansion."

"How did you find him?" Takeru questioned curiously.

"We have agents throughout this city. These agents have observed you meeting with this Leomon on no less then three occasions. The first thing I did when I arrived at the mansion three hours ago was check with our agents here. It was quite surprising to see whom you were masquerading as. Do you know how long we've been searching for Joseph Kurowda."

He chuckled. "I killed Kurowda quite a while ago but not before I took everything I needed to complete this deception."

"How much of yourself did you sacrifice to achieve this sort of thing?" Isuzu questioned. "I know enough to know that adjustments like these don't come cheap."

"I didn't sacrifice as much as you would think."

She stared up at him, waiting to see if he'd continue but when he didn't, she shrugged and laid her head against his chest again. As the song came to an end, she pushed away from him.

"Well, that's enough pleasantries. I hope you won't be difficult and will come quietly with us."

In response, Takeru shrugged and offered his arm. With a smile she linked her arm through his and led them towards the exit. Aidan, Jonathan and Isuzu's charge were waiting for them there. Both Aidan and Jonathan looked ready to explode. Takeru smirked at them both as Isuzu led him past them into the adjacent room and then outside into the night. A significant number of humans and Digimon were waiting for them there and they escorted them back to the mansion. On the way back he changed his features back to his own face. The calm guise was maintained until they were inside the mansion. It was then that Jonathan lost his temper.

Takeru smirked inwardly as he heard footsteps pounding behind him. Isuzu had heard them as well and had stepped aside, a faint look of amusement on her face. She was not likely to interfere, preferring instead to let it all play out in front of her. Looking around bored, he critically examined the opulent interior of the main room of the mansion. There was a single stairway, several feet wide, set in the middle of the room. It led up to the second floor. A door set towards his left, led to the dining room.

He had no further time to sightsee as a hand clapped over his shoulder, whirling him around. He stared into the enraged face of Jonathan Stark and smirked. The man growled, unleashing a punch that sent him stumbling back.

Takeru kept the smirk on his face. "What's the matter Jonny, hear something you didn't like."

Growling, the man unleashed a flurry of blows that sent Takeru crashing to the floor.

Takeru laughed, lying back on the floor. "That's the most initiative you've ever shown, you limp-wristed faggot. I'm almost tempted to tell you your lover's fate."

"Shut up," Jonathan snarled, kicking him in the side.

Takeru only chuckled louder, staring up maliciously at the man standing over him. "How he would cry your name after I had broken him."

"Wait," Isuzu said, striding forward. "You mean you and..." She trailed off, staring down incredulously at Takeru. "You really will do anything to complete a mission."

Takeru's smirk widened, almost becoming a leer. "The worst part had to be all the pathetic whining about keeping his libido a secret." He chuckled again, driving each word like a nail. "Looks like the cat is out of the bag now, Jonny."

Jonathan drew back his leg for another kick but Isuzu stopped him. "The master needs him unharmed," she said authoritatively, putting a hand on his shoulder. Visibly gaining control of himself, Jonathan stepped back. "Confiscate his Digivice and take him to the dungeons." 

Two guards stepped forward, hauling Takeru to his feet. He kept a faint, mocking look on his face letting them know that he was far from broken. The expression was also meant to antagonize and judging by the look on Jonathan's face, it was doing its work.

After they took his Digivice, his arms were shackled behind him and he was led down to the mansion's dungeon. The dungeon itself turned out to be nothing more then a row of cells, concrete cement walls separating each. Since they were far below the mansion, it was very dank but not dark as the cells were illuminated by light bulbs in the main hallway. As they led him to his cell, he noticed the Leomon he had contracted sitting in one of the cells. The Digimon nodded at him as the guards led him past his cell and deposited him in the one next to it.

Takeru leaned against the wall connected to the Leomon's cell, listening to the guards' footsteps fade into the distance. After he was certain, the guards had left, he asked, "Are they monitoring us?"

"Yes," the Leomon replied, his voice sounding ghostly in the near empty dungeon. "There is a camera set up inside every cell."

Looking up at the corner of the cell, Takeru noticed a small camera slowly swiveling back and forth, keeping the whole of the cell under surveillance.

"You won't be able to use matter reconstruction either. The whole of the data in this dungeon has been formatted to discourage that sort of activity. Silence is our best option at the moment."

Takeru grunted, repeating the same maneuver he had performed in another dungeon two weeks past. When his arms were in front of him again, he began to heal the minor wounds he had suffered.

"Tell me about Isuzu Asahina," he said as he healed himself. "She seemed to cause quite a bit of nervousness in the ruling elite of Kroy."

"It happened about three years ago," the Leomon began without preamble. "All the continents were in chaos at the time so the details are understandably scarce. There was a city called Cathal on the Continent of Alecrast whose ruler was much like Cain in stubbornly pursuing an edict of neutrality. The story goes that the woman seduced the ruler of that city and then betrayed Cathal to the Dark Ocean's forces. This was back when the War was an actual War and not a War of words like it eventually became."

"What about the Chosen?"

"All this happened before Jyou Kido and Koushirou Izumi arrived at Alecrast. Because of Cathal, they had a tough time bringing the whole continent under their control. They eventually managed to drive back the Dark Ocean forces but Cathal was lost to them. In Alecrast, that city is where the gateway to the Dark Ocean is located."

Takeru chuckled in amusement, falling silent. He could not have hoped for better. Silence enveloped the room but that was okay with him. He had time to think things through and the next phase of his plan was not scheduled to happen for a few hours yet. Closing his eyes, he thought back to when Isuzu had kissed him. It had been necessary to establish that she could not affect him but Hikari was not likely to see it that way. If he was lucky, she would not skin him alive. Still, it had been a nice experiment. It was good to know he could still resist the charms of the opposite sex, if not Hikari.

Sighing, he finished healing his minor wounds. He had began this mission thinking to put thoughts of Hikari out of his mind but it had become increasingly hard to keep her memory bottled up. He missed her, there was no getting around that but these thoughts were proving to be a distraction that he didn't need. Maybe he was going about this all wrong. She was a huge part of his life now and he needed to accept her as he had once accepted the darkness in his own heart. Closing his eyes, he let go of the tight control he had exerted over those particular memories. He wrapped the resulting rush of warm memories around himself like a cloak. They did a much better job of keeping him warm then his clothes. He sat that way until suddenly, the camera in his cell stopped moving from side to side.

The Leomon let out a soft chuckle inside his cell. "You will have to explain to me some time how things always seem to fall together so perfectly for you." 

"Superior planning, my friend," Takeru replied. "We both know the value of anticipating every move the enemy is likely to make."

"Hasn't anybody ever anticipated you?"

"Of course, but she is a telepath and prone to cheating so she doesn't count."

The sound of a door opening in the distance.

"Showtime," Takeru said softly.

There was a soft grunt from the cell beside his and then the steady drumming of footsteps on the cold hard floor. The sound echoed in the dungeon and then abruptly stopped. Takeru didn't look up, knowing the man was standing beside his cell.

"Well well, back for another tryst, Jonny." He made his tone mocking, trying to provoke a reaction.

The man he was mocking remained quiet. Takeru looked up then, fixing him with a baleful gaze.

"Do you remember when I was your captive, the pleasure you took in torturing me. The pleasure you took in hearing my screams. I visited that back on your poor dead lover ten times over." Jonathan's shoulders twitched briefly and Takeru smirked mockingly. "Do you hate me right now, Jonny? I suppose you would like to do nothing more then rip my heart out but then you'll never know what happened to your lover."

"Is he alive?" Jonathan questioned hoarsely, an odd tone of hope in his voice.

Takeru rose to his feet, approaching the cell door. "Why would I keep a useless piece of filth like him alive?"

Jonathan's fist lashed out between the cell bars catching him flush in the face. The dungeon rang with Takeru's mocking laughter as he fell backwards.

"I had him beaten, I had him raped but still he would not break. He hung on longer then any other person ever had. That's when I began digging into his past."

"Shut up," Jonathan growled in a low voice.

"I dug up everything I could on you four but nothing ever turned up. I was about to give up when an aide of mine noticed an anomaly, namely a pair of meetings you two had at a private hotel in Britain. A hotel with a certain reputation."

"Shut up." 

Takeru smiled inwardly hearing the man's ragged breath. He was very close, one more push would do it.

"I couldn't believe my eyes but I had a timeline to maintain and was willing to try anything. It was an immense success. Your beloved Joseph broke at the first sight of you. Every night, he would cry in my arms thinking that I was you. You were orphans that found solace in each other after discovering your differences. The key to breaking both of you lay in exploiting that difference. You were just two men hungering for love. It's sad really, a matter of disposition."

The cell door crashed open. Two hands twisted in Takeru's collar, hauling him to his feet and shoving him up against the far wall of the cell.

"I'll break you in half." Jonathan snarled, his face a mere inch away from Takeru's.

Takeru smirked mockingly and then struck. Jonathan gasped, his arms going limp and his body slumping forward. Takeru twisted his hands brutally, his fingers breaking a few more of the man's rips from where they were lodged in his chest.

"Y... you... mon... ster."

Takeru chuckled at that. "You and your friends created me. It is only fitting that you reap the rewards of your creation." Stepping forward, he reversed their positions so that Jonathan was pushed up against the wall. "When I killed Joseph Kurowda, I was still disguised as you. He went to his grave believing that you had betrayed him. It was a fitting punishment for him just as it is a fitting punishment for you to know how he died and yet be helpless to do anything about it." Giving his fingers one final twist he put an end to Jonathan Stark's life and stepped back watching his body slowly slump to the floor. 

A quick search of the body turned up the man's D3. Turning it on, he quickly inputted the required code. As soon as the device turned on, he began navigating the system interface and pulled up a file he had hidden there days ago. Placing the D3 against the cell wall, he activated the file. After a few minutes, he placed the D3 inside his pocket and stepped out of his cell.

"Didn't it work?" The Leomon questioned from his cell.

"Give it a few minutes." Takeru said absently, wiping the blood off his fingers and onto the wall by the Digimon's cell door. "This compound is large and a general system's shutdown will take some time."

"We may not have..." The Leomon trailed off as the lights of the dungeon flickered and the doors of all the cells clanged open.

"Let's get going," Takeru muttered, stepping past the Digimon's cell. He led them through the dungeon and up a flight of stairs, halting as they got to a closed door. "I saw two sentries standing guard outside when they brought me in." He whispered, pausing behind the door. "Be ready to move at a moment's notice." Raising a fist, he banged loudly on the door. "Open the door," he yelled in a fair impersonation of Jonathan Stark's voice. The door began to lumber open slowly. "Now," Takeru whispered, surging forward and pushing hard against the door, causing it to crash open. He went for the guard nearest him. The man's face registered surprise right before Takeru swung his still shackled arms in a haymaker that lifted him off his feet and caused him to crash to the floor unconscious. He whirled around to see Leomon standing over the unconscious body of the second guard. "You will need to recover my D3," he said without preamble. "They are probably trying to crack it open right now. The power failure in the mansion should give you all the leeway you need."

The Leomon nodded hastily, moving down the hall. Takeru watched him leave and then concentrated. The shackles around his arms began to flow off and gather in the air in front of him. He drudged up memory of two particular devices that would be useful tonight and started forming them out of the shackles. A short moment later he held a small metallic necklace in one hand and a hunter's knife in the other. 

Now, it was time to move onto the final phase of his plan.

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INTERLUDE

Hikari growled in frustration, rolling over in the empty bed. She just couldn't get to sleep, at least not without Takeru beside her. That was a sad commentary on her life but apparently it wasn't something she could help. She missed all his cute little idiosyncrasies like the tight, possessive way he held her when they lay sleeping. It was probably because there was a part of him that was waiting for everything to fall apart. That was understandable in a way; he had not had an easy life thus far. That was why she had sworn a promise three years ago to protect him. It was not a promise that had been necessary in her eyes but it was something Yamato had insisted on. Of course, this made the current situation even stranger.

She had gone to Gennai like Takeru had asked her to but that had been a dead end. However, she had come away with a sense that the old man knew more then he was telling. That had genuinely irked her. If Gennai thought he could use Takeru as his pawn again then he was mistaken. She was not going to allow anybody to hurt him again even if she had to save him from himself. 

That thought brought her back to the situation at hand. Once again, she contemplated trying to contact Takeru telepathically and once again, she discarded the idea. At this stage, contacting him would only lead to discovery and put his life in even more danger. Which was not to say that the temptation wasn't great. She really wanted to yell at him a little. How dare he send Corwin away. That news had come as a shock a few days ago when Mimi had contacted her. For a moment there she had seriously considered travelling to Rayne and throttling that failed excuse for a spy. Mimi had found the mental image hilarious. 

Rising up a little, she punched the pillow she had been lying on. Oddly enough, that made her feel a bit better. Sighing, she flopped back down on the bed. Who was she kidding? She wasn't so much mad at Corwin as she was with herself. She had not thought he could keep anything from her after their short time together or even after that last night. That belief had been quickly proven false as she'd had no clue that he would send Corwin back the moment he left their sights. She could just see him now, that irritating grin on his face, saying almost as an afterthought, _"tell Lord and Lady Yagami not to worry.'_ When he got back she fully intended to break every single bone in his body. How dare he do this to her.

Hikari grimaced, rolling over onto her stomach. Ok, so she wasn't going to hurt him that badly. At most, all he would get was another stern reminder as to who held the cards in their relationship. That thought brought back memories of their last night together. A small, unbidden grin rose to her face. 

So she liked to be the one in control. Was that so bad? Takeru had certainly never complained although he teased her mercilessly about it. Of course, she gave as good as she got in those exchanges and when he still wouldn't shut up, there was always the direct method that left him pretty much quiet afterwards. He was usually so submissive when it came to their lovemaking and let her take the lead. That was why she had been so surprised when he had actually fought her on their last night together. He had an irritating habit of surprising her every once in a while. The situation with Corwin was the perfect example. She could have even put up with it if it had not felt like she was being patronized; as if he had let her set the tone of their relationship so that when decisions like these came up, he could always point back and say, _'See, I let you do that, now let me do this.' _When he got back, she would disabuse him of that notion if indeed that is what he was thinking. Maybe he would even put up a fight like last time.

That struggle had been such a turn on for her. He had never put up a fight when she let him know she was going to take control. The end result had been the same either way. He had been powerless, evenmoreso then he usually was. Being inside his mind as well as having followed some of his exploits, she knew full well how deadly he could be. Yet, she had conquered him, holding him helpless, making him cry out her name again and again. And then there were those soft, whimpering sounds he always made. It had been quite a turn on knowing she could have her way with him any time she wanted. She had even taken particular pleasure in seeing that look of nervousness in his eyes at the end. When he had actually backed down from her, she had half wanted to just keep him there, underneath her and have her way with him for another hour. But, she was a woman of her word and had given him his hour.

That hadn't stopped her from playing with him afterwards. She had nearly succeeded in pulling him back to her when he was about to leave their quarters. He had been so cute, trying to resist her but in the end, she had let him go, duty winning out over pleasure. But then, she had gone to see him and tell him about the possibility of a traitor. She had only meant to ask him why he hadn't confided his suspicions to her but what was supposed to be a ten-minute conversation had turned into two hours. It had been a rash and impulsive action. She knew first hand how fragile the human mind could be and yet she had gone ahead with it anyway. And this wasn't even taking into account that she knew he did not have his crest. When the partition in his mind had collapsed due to his climax, she had realized her error. In typical style though, he had shrugged off her apology and had even laughed at her rapid turnaround. That had been the last she had seen of him as she had collapsed the link to allow him to heal himself and get some actual sleep.

She had not stopped thinking about that moment since then. What had possessed her to do what she had done? In her eyes, the night before had been justified but not what she had done afterwards. The justification she had used did not hold up either because she had known he could not tell her about the mission. Which left only one conclusion really; she had done it because she had lost control over her judgment. It wasn't exactly a flattering proposition but then again, she was not in the habit of shying away from truths.

Rubbing her eyes, Hikari sat up a little. This was no good; not only could she not go to sleep but now she was getting extremely turned on after thinking of him that way. Damn that man for doing this to her. She wasn't going to play some milksop bridal role and feel left behind every time he went away. What she needed was a distraction to take her mind off him.

Had she been a little more focused, the mental signal that hit her at that moment would not have caught her off guard. Gasping, she quickly focused and grabbed a hold of the rapidly fading thought. Using her own powers she strengthened the signal and immediately her mind was flooded with images. 

"All right," she said into the empty room, "I'll be there early tomorrow morning." 

Getting a hint of confirmation, she relaxed her mind and the mental link faded. Well, she had asked for something distracting and this was definitely that. Before she left though, she would have to clear everything with Iori.

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Breathing in the cold night air, Takeru paused on the rooftop. A quick survey of his surroundings revealed that he was halfway to his destination. Withdrawing Jonathan's D3, he switched it on. A loud voice immediately burst forth:

"Jonathan, where the hell are you, damn it."

Takeru grinned, raising the device to his mouth. "Jonathan looked quite dead the last time I saw him."

There was silence and then, "You bastard; I will make you pay for this."

"Afraid not," Takeru drawled. "Even now, I am heading to Cain's palace. When I kill him and leave Jonny's D3 as a memento, you and your Embassy will be finished in this city." He flicked off the D3 and sat, waiting for the inevitable response.

Nearly fifteen minutes later, he spotted four shadows approaching his position. Grinning, he switched on the D3 again and opened the second file he had hidden there. It was a jamming program that would disable communications between these Hunters and the Embassy. It would not do if Isuzu discovered that Aidan had sent them and called them back. After he had activated the virus, he walked over to the edge of the roof and leapt off, holding on to the edge so he was flattened against the side of the building. Raising himself a little, he peered over the edge and saw the four black robed figures converge in the middle of the rooftop.

"Anything?" One Hunter questioned in a gruff voice. Takeru took him to be the leader.

The other hunter's all shook their head. 

"All right then," the first hunter said quickly, "you all know this man's reputation." Takeru grinned, mouthing along the words as the hunter said them. "Lina, you stay here at the main junction, we'll drive him back towards you. Adam, Chris, you two follow along behind me and cover each other as well as myself."

Takeru rolled his eyes as the Hunters set off. It seemed his time away had changed nothing; tactics among assassins were still the same. As the three Hunters departed, the fourth began patrolling the rooftop. Takeru waited until she was at the farthest edge of the roof from his own before levering himself up in a somersault and rolling to his feet. Using the shadows, he quietly snuck up behind the female hunter and pressed the knife he had created, against her spine. Immediately, she stiffened.

"Quiet," he hissed in her ear.

The girl gave a small nod.

"Good," Takeru said with a smile. He reached into his pocket and withdrew the necklace, dangling it in front of her. "Do you know what this is?"

"Coda training device," she remarked in a matter of fact tone. "It measures vocal fold vibrations. If I try to raise my voice level above the prescribed timbre, it will inject a lethal toxin into my body."

"Very good, I thought I recognized the posture of a Coda warrior. Put it on." The girl took the necklace and paused, seemingly considering her options. "You know my reputation," he growled, pressing the knife into her back. "I won't hesitate to kill you." The threat seemed to decide her and she quickly clasped the necklace around her neck.

Grabbing her by the shoulders, he turned her to face him. "If you try to raise your voice above a whisper, the necklace will inject a paralyzing agent into your body." He paused, brushing a lock of blonde hair from her forehead. "Now, let's have all those knives concealed on your lovely body."

Her eyes bore into him, the full strength of her hatred behind them. But, she did as he asked, removing knives from her wrists, legs, back and even one small one concealed between her breasts. Pretty soon, he was holding a small, impressive collection of knives. He concealed most of them on himself and dissolved the remaining few.

"You won't get away with this," the girl whispered through gritted teeth.

Takeru grunted in amusement. "I have heard that before and yet here I am. Now, are you biomerged?" 

"No, there wasn't enough time and Black was insistent that we go after you as quickly as possible."

"All right then, hold on." He stepped forward and hauled her onto one shoulder. To her credit, she kept quiet despite the suddenness of the move.

The problem at the moment was the three Hunters in front of him. In a way, he had miscalculated in his plan. He had been planning on taking a biomerged hunter captive and then getting to the mansion in relative safety using his or her powers. The way he would have to proceed now was fraught with a lot more risk and would take a little longer then he had anticipated. Well, at least she was female. It would make sneaking her into the fete a lot more natural then if he was with a male Hunter. That particular bit of business in this mission was thankfully over and done with.

Stepping to the edge of the roof, he started off in a different direction then the Hunters had gone in. On the rooftops, there was only one way to Cain's Citadel but on the ground, no such problem existed. He would bypass the Hunters by going towards the Chosen Embassy and getting to the ground. After that, it was a short trip to the Citadel. Finalizing this one adjustment to his plan, he pushed off the roof and landed quietly onto the next one. He set off in a light jog, crossing rooftop to rooftop until he reached a particularly low set building and jumped off it onto the ground.

Setting the female hunter down onto the ground, he quickly checked his surroundings. Not seeing anyone, he began concentrating. The woman stood quietly as her dark clothes flowed across her body rearranging themselves into a red dress with a slit up one leg. Takeru's own clothes changed as well, becoming the brown robed suit he had observed some people wearing at the fete. His face changed as well, his features adjusting themselves to assume a much less infamous persona. He closed his eyes for a moment after finishing the matter transformation. All this activity tonight had been fairly taxing. Thankfully, matter transformation mostly relied on the will of the person. He had a couple more tries left before he really started feeling the affect of such activity.

"Shall we?" He said, straightening to his feet and offering the girl one of his arms. She glared at him but took his arm.

Takeru led them through the city, sticking close to the shadows just in case. Before long, they arrived at the Citadel.

"Remember," Takeru whispered as they approached the entrance, "if you try anything, you will die."

At the entrance to the Citadel stood two guards. As Takeru approached with the female hunter in tow, one of the guards stepped forward.

"Are you here for the fete?" He questioned in a bored tone.

"Inform Minister Lehnsherr that Taka Ishihara is at the front gates." Takeru replied without preamble.

The guard raised an eyebrow, as this was extremely different from other such encounters he had been accustomed to since the fete began. However, his scrutiny was cut short as the Minister Takeru had asked for stepped away from a swathe of shadows and appeared behind the guards.

"Taka, nice to see you could make it."

The two guards started, clearly surprised by the Minister's abrupt appearance. They immediately bowed to the man and stepped back. Takeru started forward, falling in line with the Minister as they continued on towards the main building. 

"Who's the girl?" Peter whispered out of the corner of his mouth.

"A tool, nothing more, nothing less." Takeru replied grimly. "Have you made arrangements?"

"You're much later then the time we had arranged but yes, everything is ready." Peter opened a door and led them inside the main building. Reaching into the folds of his robe, he withdrew a map and handed it to Takeru. "I've marked the path to Cain's quarters as well as guard locations. The only real problem you should have is the two guards in front of Cain's door. If this plan had proceeded as scheduled I might have been able to do something about that but now, you'll have to take care of them."

Takeru nodded, studying the map and committing it to memory. "You should leave now," he said not looking up from the map. "When this is all done, contact Ambassador Le Moign and she should be able to arrange something for you."

Peter frowned but then shrugged in resignation and disappeared down a side corridor. Rolling up the map and placing it inside the pocket of his suit, Takeru started towards Cain's quarters. He had pretty much memorized the map so avoiding the seemingly random patrols was easy. The hard part came with the two guards standing outside Cain's room.

"Stay here," Takeru whispered to the female hunter, "and don't try to run. The necklace is fixed with a beacon and will kill you if you get a certain distance away from me." 

He turned away from her and observed the two guards from behind a corner. Neither one of them looked particularly alert. Taking a deep breath, he stepped out from the corner and started walking towards them. Both came to attention immediately, levering twin arm blasters at him. Takeru raised his hands and the eyes of the guards followed that movement. He immediately flicked his wrists downwards and two knives, strapped to the inside of each wrist, flew out and lodged themselves into the throat of either guard. The one man and one woman slumped down to the floor, blood bubbling up to their lips, hands scrabbling at their throats before they finally died.

Moving quickly, Takeru unhooked the arm blaster from one of the guards and gave a low whistle. The female hunter stepped out of hiding. She had barely a second to open her mouth in surprise when the energy blast from his arm blaster hit her in the chest. Concentrating, he quickly reformed her hunter's clothes around her downed body. Then, taking off the blaster, he strapped it onto the wrist of the guard he had killed.

The sound of running footsteps alerted him to the fact that other guards had heard the blast and were on their way. He stepped past the downed bodies of the two guards, opened the door to Cain's room and stepped inside. Locking the door behind himself, he walked over to the four poster bed set towards the left side of the room. Upon the bed lay the figure of Michael Cain. 

As he approached the bed, he could tell that the Leomon had injured the man very well. The plan had been to injure Cain just enough to leave him a soft target for the real assassination attempt. As he neared the prone figure lying on the bed, Takeru could tell that the plan had succeeded. Cain was covered in bandages, unable to move.

The man's eyes were wide as they watched him approach. "Who?" He croaked out.

Takeru ran a hand across his face adjusting his features. "This has been a long time coming. Don't worry, I'll make it quick." He raised one of the knives he had taken from Lina and plunged it into Cain's heart. The man convulsed and then went still.

Takeru stared down at the still body until banging on the main door caused him to whirl around. It was time to be away. He was stepping towards one of the main windows of the room when a side door he had not noticed swung open and a small boy walked into the room. His wide eyes stared straight at Takeru, freezing him in place.

_'Damn damn damn, the boy had seen his face.' _ It would all go wrong if he gave them his description.

The banging on the door became a steady pounding sound. They were trying to break the door down now. He had mere moments and there was no way to take the boy with him. For a moment, he stood, agonizing over the decision until the groaning of the main door's hinges made the only decision he could make. He rushed forward, drawing a knife and plunged it into the boy's heart.

"I'm sorry," he whispered quietly, letting the boy's body slump back to the floor. Then turning around, he ran towards the window and jumped through it. According to the map, Cain's room had been two floors up and was directly over the Veranda and the garden beyond it. As he fell through the air, he reformed his clothes to resemble those of a Hunter and wrapped himself with his healing powers. There were screams below him as the people below beheld a dark caped figure fall towards the ground. His powers helped deaden the pain of the fall. After that, it was just one mad dash to the far walls at the back of the garden. He scaled them easily and then leapt off into the city outside.

Sticking to the shadows, it was nearly an hour later before he managed to make his way back to the Dark Ocean Embassy. The guards outside took him in their custody immediately and he was taken straight to Isuzu and Aidan. The two Rogue Guardians were sitting in the room where he had first met with Aidan and Jonathan a week ago. Aidan stood pacing, looking decidedly nervous. He glanced up as the door opened and Takeru was escorted inside.

"You bastard." He began rushing forward.

"Stop," Isuzu's voice cracked, the tone of command unmistakable. "Your ineptness has caused enough damage." She rose from where she was sitting behind the table. "I take it that our reputation is now suitably damaged within this city."

"I would have to say, yeah." Takeru looked over at Aidan and removed Jonathan's digivice, tossing it towards him. "It was never my intention to leave this digivice there. It was too easily refutable. The body of a dead Hunter won't be, and to top it all off, most of the citizens of this city saw a Hunter come flying out of Cain's room. Your time in this city is over."

Isuzu looked towards Aidan. "Prep our aircraft's for immediate departure." Aidan bowed leaving the room and Isuzu turned back to Takeru. "You have a lot of nerve coming back here after this stunt."

"Remember what you said, I do anything to complete a mission and I still have a mission." Takeru walked forward suddenly, pushing Isuzu against a wall. "I will use you," he whispered in her ear, "and you can't do anything about it."

She tried to push him away but he lowered his mouth and captured her lips in a fierce kiss. After a while, she even stopped struggling.

________________________________________________________________________

Events unfold in various different parts of the world as everything inches towards an upcoming confrontation between Light and Dark. Next Chapter: Interlude


	7. Chapter Seven

The Final Battle: Chapter Seven 

**Disclaimer: ** I don't own it.  The 'it' being Digimon.

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A/N:  Reply to Tk293's review.  Heh, tell me about it.  I wonder how many people I scared away with that last chapter.  You seem to be the only one reading this story.  There is a reason why I rated this fic R though.  I really wanted to experiment with a variety of issues and the R rating lets me have looser boundaries then any other rating.  If my review count suffers, then it suffers.

Anyway, this chapter is mostly a bit of everything.  In it, you will see the spotlight shine on a few other characters that have been pretty neglected so far.  I had originally wanted this chapter to be part of Takeru's story but that will have to be Chapter Nine now.  One hard thing about writing fics with a huge cast that is spread all over the world is keeping a consistent timeline.  That timeline would have a whole lot of jumping back and forth if I had made this chapter Takeru's chapter so I decided to change it and put the focus on tying up a few loose ends in Kroy as well as showing you what Yamato is up to.  Anyways, enjoy.

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            The ocean of the Digital World was vast.  Much like Earth, it covered most of the surface of the planet.  Five main continents were the focus of much of the drama that occurred in this world.  However, every now and then events took shape far beyond the borders of these continents.  One such area of activity had lain dormant for a long while.  It was an island to the north of the Continent of Alecrast.  On this small rocky isle sat a lone mountain whose peak was among the highest in the Digital World.  High atop the mountain was a small ledge and connected to this ledge was a small cave.  Inside this small cave sat a cauldron over a small fire that had long since burned down to ashes.  Beside the cauldron sat a Shurimon.  He stirred suddenly as the howling of a wolf filled the air.  The sound echoed within the cave and then gradually faded.

            "Lots of visitors these days," the Digimon muttered softly to himself.  With a groan, he rose to his feet and checked the cauldron.  Inside were the remains of a stew that he had made sometime last week.  Giving it a delicate sniff, he decided that it was no longer edible.  Grabbing the handle of the cauldron, he picked it up and started towards the entrance of the cave.  As he was halfway there, a tall yellow haired man appeared there.  The Shurimon paused and then continued walking forward.  He stepped past the man and upturned the cauldron over the edge of the huge mountain.  Wordlessly, he turned around and walked back into the cave.  The man walking behind him.

            "Have I begun to hallucinate?"  The Shurimon questioned rhetorically, sitting down at the blackened fire.  With a flick of his wrist, it blazed forth again.  "Or have you come to haunt me.  But, why would you take so much time Yamato Ishida?"

            Yamato frowned, looking at the figure seated before him.  "Has the loneliness finally driven you insane?  I am not a hallucination or a ghost.  Search within that once storehouse of knowledge that you held within your mind.  Surely there must be a few scraps left that should tell you how I came to be."

            "There is nothing left," the Digimon snapped.  "Your little brother was fairly thorough in his punishment.  I, who once had knowledge rivaling that of the God Beasts, am now reduced to a mere pauper."  His voice quieted to a whisper.  "There is nothing left except..."

            "And that is why I am here."  Yamato said softly.  "Tell me how to get to Hidden Isle."

            A look of cunning flashed across the Shurimon's eyes.  "And what do I get in return?  Will you release me from this prison?  Will you grant me release?"

            "You know what will happen if I take your life.  There will be no rebirth.  That is what has kept you from taking your own life all these years while languishing inside this cave.  My brother thought of every possible means of escape when he put you in this prison."

            "I will not take my own life but you can do it for me."  The Digimon looked up and now the look of cunning was gone, replaced by an almost pitiable look of longing.  "He put me here because my partner killed you.  I had knowledge and all of it is gone, my curiosity to know, blunted.  Has it all happened outside already?  Has the beast risen from his pit?  No, do not tell me, I do not want the shred of hope to take root in my heart.  I want an ending."

            Yamato held up his hand and it slowly changed into razor sharp claws.  "Tell me how to get to the Hidden Isle and I will grant you your wish."

            And so, the Shurimon told him everything.  

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            If there was one trait Taichi Yagami shared with his sister, it was the fact that he liked to be in control of any given situation.  That was why he supposed he had always clashed with Yamato in the old days.  The other teen's rebellious nature had always made him feel like he was losing control over a situation and it had led to several memorable clashes between the two.  Somewhere in the last eight years, Yamato's little brother had picked up the same irritating ability to annoy him.  It was extremely vexing to say the least.  He had planned this mission ever since he had first run across Kroy and everything that he had planned had been casually tossed aside.  It was galling, especially considering that Takeru had sat with him and planned a scheme that, in retrospect, did not look as carefully planned as he had been led to believe.  The boy had been patronizing him and if Taichi hated one thing as much as losing control over a situation, it was being patronized.  The almost glibly worded message he had sent back with Corwin had not been particularly amusing either.  But, what was done was done.  All he could do now was ready the legions and pray Takeru knew what he was doing.

            Across the table from him, Mimi Tachikawa let out a small sigh and slumped back in her chair.  "Well," he questioned tentatively.

            Stretching as best she could, Mimi nodded wordlessly.

            "He did it."  Taichi sighed, leaning back in his seat.  It felt like a tremendous weight had been lifted from his shoulders.  The whole endeavor really had been a colossal gamble from the start.

            "Don't get too comfortable," Mimi warned.  "He's left us quite a big mess to clean up.  Catherine told me that there was rioting in the city."

            "Is she..."

            "Yeah," Mimi interjected before he could finish.  "She can take care of herself and has enough troops to keep the area surrounding the Embassy quiet.  It should prove a good base of operations for us."

            Taichi grunted, closing his eyes.  If he sent in the legions too early, it could cast suspicion on them.  On the other hand, if he waited too long, the loss of life would be great.  Another thing to consider was the ministerial staff that would fight him every step of the way to keep Kroy's autonomy intact.  In the end, he might lose a lot of troops on an endeavor that could fail or he could hold back and allow the city to weaken itself.  His losses would be diminished but a lot of innocents would still lose their life.

            "You're agonizing over a moral decision."  Mimi spoke into the silent room.  She gave a small smile, forming an apple and knife out of thin air.  "You're a hell of a leader Tai, but you're not much of a strategist."  Cutting a slice from the apple, she plopped it into her mouth.  "The course seems clear; we have to send in the legions despite whatever losses we may take.  Kroy's militia is mostly composed of mercenaries anyway and should not prove much of a problem."

            "I liked you better when I thought you were a ditz."  Taichi muttered.

            Mimi grinned.  "The air-headed Mimi still has her uses.  I could not have won the loyalty of Drake Castle if the man had not thought I was a complete ditz.  Did you know I had a letter from him just last week asking me to come visit his outpost?"

            "Do you ever regret that I used you that way?"

            "You should know better then to think along those lines," Mimi replied with a frown.  "Nobody, not even you, uses me without my consent and besides, the situation often calls for unique methods.  With Castle, it was just simpler to wrap him around my little finger instead of getting bogged down in the million little concessions he wanted."

            Taichi sighed, leaning back in his chair again.  "So, what now?"  He questioned finally.  "If we do send in the legions too soon, it will attract suspicion."

            Mimi waved the knife in the air dismissively.  "The only excuse we need is the Dark Ocean.  Besides, from what Catherine told me, it doesn't look like the ruling body of Kroy is going to do anything to stop the rioting any time soon.  The four Ministers are mired in their own power struggle at the moment.

            Taichi was about to reply when suddenly there came a steady thumping sound in the hallway and then a polite knock on the door to his quarters.

            "Come in," he said loudly.

            The door opened and the Captain of the troops in the main city of Rayne walked into the room.  He bowed politely to both Mimi and Taichi.

            "We just received a courier from the outpost of Xanth."  He said perfunctorily.  "He reports that Drake Castle is dead and that the outpost suffered a serious attack last night."

            "There's your excuse."  Mimi said turning back to Taichi.

            Sighing, Taichi rose to his feet.  "I will take care of this.  You should take the legions I've readied and depart as soon as possible."

            Mimi bowed, rising to her feet.  "As my lord commands."

            "Cute," Taichi said rolling his eyes as he moved towards the door.

            Grinning, Mimi followed.

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            The sun was going down and so it was time to make dinner.  

            Stirring a pot of stew over a campfire, Eric wondered how things had come to this.  He loved his city and it was to protect it that he had joined the militia a few days ago.  That was why he couldn't understand what he and the rest of the troops were doing outside the city when the mob threatening it was inside.  Being a perceptive person, he knew it had to do with politics and this sickened him.  People were losing their lives and the men in charge were scrambling around for as much power as they could.  At this rate, there probably wouldn't be much of a city left to defend when they finally got back inside.  Although, he suppose he should be somewhat grateful.  He did not particularly want to be facing people he had seen and interacted with just days before.  They were just scared and acting out of rage.

            "Hello, hello."  A lilting, musical voice distracted him from his thoughts.  He looked up and his heart nearly stopped.  In the middle of the camp stood the most stunning woman he had ever seen.  She was oriental and her long brown hair was done up in a pony tail which seemed to accentuate her slim swanlike neck.  His eyes traveled down her figure of their own accord.  She was dressed in black leather pants with a tight sleeveless shirt that hugged her body accentuating her curves.  A dun brown cape hung fluttering in the breeze behind her as she surveyed the camp.  Her gaze came to rest on him for a moment and he found himself staring into a pair of deep brown eyes that seemed to gaze directly into his soul.  A small smile came to her lips and he found himself blushing furiously.

            "Well well, what's this?"  A loud, overly belligerent voice suddenly sounded.

            The brown haired woman turned away from him and faced a tall, wide set young man that was walking across the camp towards her.  Eric grimaced at seeing one of the Captains of the Kroy militia.  Whoever the woman was, she was out of luck if she was expecting hospitality.  The men out here were going out of their mind with boredom and she, dressed as she was, would attract undue attention.  It had already started as he could tell that the man approaching her had less then chivalrous intentions in mind.  The woman looked him up and down as he came to a halt in front of her.

            "And you would be?"  She questioned in the same singsong voice.

            "Two hundred pounds of real man, baby."

            Eric groaned under his breath.  That had to be one of the worst pickup lines he had ever heard and he had heard his fair share while working in a bar.  The woman smiled, her lips quirking in a faint mocking look.  She reached up slowly, dragging one well-manicured fingernail down the guy's chest.  He grinned as if he had made some sort of conquest and pulled the woman towards him.  She didn't put up any resistance as he lowered his head and kissed her.  Her arms snaked around his neck as his hooked around her waist and soon the two were in a liplock that was far too indecent even for an army camp.  A large crowd soon gathered around the pair.  By Eric's estimation, it was nearly the whole Kroy militia.  Even the lookouts had shown up, distracted by something that was much better then watching empty roadways for signs of attack.

            The kiss went on for a long time, the pair deepening it, their bodies grinding against each other until it looked more like a struggle then an actual kiss.  The woman brought up a leg, hooking it around the man's waist and drawing him even closer if that was possible.  Around the two, the rest of the men had begun to shout their encouragement, trying to spur their Captain on in what they viewed as a sure conquest.  A few seconds later, the cheering died down completely as it became abundantly clear this wasn't going to be some walk in the park.

            The Captain's arms moved from the brunette's waist to her arms and Eric had a sense that he was trying to disengage without causing himself too much embarrassment.  A few seconds later, the man abandoned all hints of subtlety and pushed away from the woman.  She still wore the faint mocking look on her face, her hands on her waist as she looked down at the man gasping raggedly in front of her.

            "Boy, they sure don't make real men like they used to."

            The comment caused quite a few sniggers from the surrounding crowd.  Most had probably arrived in time to witness the earlier comment.

            "Bitch," the Captain muttered loudly enough for everybody to hear.

            "Now now, that's no way to talk to an innocent, helpless woman."  The brunette said wagging a finger in the air.  Then, apparently deciding that she'd had enough of the man she had just humiliated, she turned towards the crowd gathered around her.  "Is this all of you then?"  She questioned quizzically.  "It seems the reputation of Kroy's militia is a tad bit over-inflated.  You're just a bunch of half grown boys."

            Eric's eyes widened at the insult.  The girl was crazy, provoking a whole camp full of men like this.  There were angry grunts from the men surrounding her and then one of them stepped forward.

            "What is going on here?"  A loud voice boomed through the air, cutting down the angry mutterings of the soldiers.  Pushing his way through the crowd, a tall red haired man appeared on the scene.  Eric recognized him as the Commander of the troops based here.  The man's eyes widened as he looked at the girl and his mouth opened.  No words came out as he froze almost comically.  A moment later the same phenomenon hit the rest of the camp.

            Unable to tear his eyes away from the scene, Eric watched the woman approach the Commander of the camp.

            "Such a pity that you recognized me," the woman said casually.  "As you've probably guessed, I'm here to take this city."

            There was a gradual sound, building in the distance and soon there were other Digimon and humans among their midst.

            "Saiki," the woman spoke loudly, "I'm leaving you to babysit this little group."

            A fairly young man with youthful features came into Eric's line of sight.  He stopped a few paces behind the woman and bowed.  "As you wish."

            The woman grinned.  "No objections this time?"

            The boy standing behind her turned a faint red color.  "It could have gone wrong.  I still say you should have at least taken someone with you when you walked into camp."

            "Well, yes, I admit it was rather ill conceived but you wouldn't deny a girl some fun, would you?"

            If anything, the boy's blush deepened.  

            The woman chuckled softly.  "As soon as I depart, they will be free to move again.  Before that happens, have your troops confiscate all their weapons."

            Saiki bowed and quietly slipped back.  The woman looked around the camp as her forces moved out.  Her eyes came to rest on Eric again.  She walked over towards him and knelt down at the near forgotten pot of stew he had been stirring.

            "You don't need to be afraid of me," she said softly, staring into his eyes.  "You've probably already figured out who I am and I will need someone to keep your fellow soldiers calm.  Will you agree?"

            Whatever had been gripping him loosened its hold and he looked sideways, avoiding her gaze.  She stretched her arms out and cupped his face, turning him back towards her.  "I need an answer."

            "Why me," he questioned halfway curious.

            "I don't often read minds without permission but I can still get a general sense of a person's personality just by skimming their subconscious.  If you really want to help your city, help us do this as quickly as possible and with the least amount of resistance."

            "I... all right, I will do as you wish, Lady Tachikawa."

            Mimi smiled gently and rose to her feet.  "When I leave and your restraints are loosened, talk to the Captain I've left in charge."  Turning around, she walked out of his line of sight.

_________________________________

            _'Cat, I'm inside.  Show me the way.'_  

            A few moments after having sent the mental thought, Mimi's mind was filled with images.  After she had memorized the layout, Catherine had provided, she terminated the link and unfurled her pink wings.  Then, silently motioning for her troops to form up, she moved on.

            She had never been to Kroy before, being busier with the outposts in the north of the Continent of Aisa.  A detail she was now regretting.  Leading troops through hostile territory was not exactly her idea of fun especially when that territory was unfamiliar to her.  Even now, her powers were stretched to their utmost as she cast mental probes in every direction to make sure that nobody snuck up on them.

            A loud explosion in the distance made her grimace.  That was probably the work of the mob she had been told to put down.  Preliminary reports from Catherine indicated that a mob had formed upon discovery of Cain's death.  They had marched on the Dark Ocean Embassy and had, upon discovering it was deserted, gone mad with outrage.  Mimi suspected Takeru's hidden hand behind that manipulation.  It was admirable in a grim sort of way; he had played the citizens of Kroy like a finely tuned fiddle.  It worked out even better in his favor that Kroy's rulers were so incompetent.

            Another loud explosion in the distance made her purse her lips in annoyance.  The situation was getting out of hand.  Thankfully, the area they were traveling through was Chosen territory and therefore relatively safe.  Catherine had done her job well in choosing this place but that did not stop her from keeping her probes active.  People lived and died sometimes based on how many precautions they took and for the Chosen, they not only had to worry about themselves but also the people they led.

            Gradual thoughts suddenly began entering her mind as her probes encountered other sentient life-forms.  With a sigh, Mimi shut down the probes.  They were nearing the Embassy and the core of Catherine's forces was holed up there.  In all, it had taken a lot less time to get here then she had suspected.

            Rounding a corner, they came at last to the Embassy.  Catherine stood awaiting them at the door to the small building, two guards flanking her.  Mimi called a halt to the small army around her and vibrating her wings took off towards the Embassy.  A few feet away from the door, she dropped to the ground and retracted her wings.

            "Ambassador," she said with a nod.

            "Lady," Catherine replied with a curtsy.

            Grinning, the two women walked forward and embraced each other.

            "It's good to see you again," Catherine said, stepping back. 

            "How bad is it out there?"  Mimi questioned, casting a look around the deserted street.

            "It is pretty quiet around here as I'm keeping constant patrols around this place.  As for the city, they're leaving the government buildings alone but the looting has gotten a lot worse.  I don't understand what is making them act like this.  It seems a little too extreme."

            Mimi nodded thoughtfully.  "I have a hunch but I'll pose it to you later.  For now, let's get inside.  Have you asked the Minister's to come here yet?"

            "I did," Catherine responded with a grin, "they refused."

            "And I suppose you're grinning because you did something extremely naughty."

            Catherine nodded.  "I had them rounded up and brought here against their will.  They are waiting inside for you at the moment and they are very angry."

            "What about their own troops?"  Mimi questioned curiously.

            "They had very few independent guards left as most practically deserted in order to join that mob out there.  The few that were left, we took care of and as for their army, you've probably seen it outside."

            "Yes, we now control that as well."  Mimi smiled.  "Very efficient Ambassador, you'll make a very great leader in this city."

            The remark cut through Catherine's smugness.  She sighed theatrically.  "That's what I hate about you Mimi; you take all the fun out of life."

            "Yeah, I'm such a killjoy."  Mimi said with a grin.  "Anyway, lead on.  I don't want to keep our guests waiting any longer then necessary."

            Catherine snorted, turning around and leading her inside.  "It's not like they are going to like anything you have to say."  She looked at Mimi critically from the corner of her eyes.  "Still, are you sure you want to see them dressed like that?"

            Mimi shrugged.  "I don't see why not.  There are few things men find more intimidating then a beautiful woman that knows how to wield power."

            Catherine suddenly stopped in the middle of a hallway and grabbed Mimi's arm to halt her.  "Hold on, before you meet them, there is something you need to know."

            Mimi raised an eyebrow, gesturing for her to continue.

            "One of the Minister's is working for Gennai.  He asked to speak with me after we had apprehended everybody and told me that he had helped Takeru.  He also gave me this:" Catherine reached into the folds of her robes and withdrew a small metallic necklace.

            Mimi frowned, staring at the piece of jewelry and then took it from Catherine.  Turning the necklace over in her hand, she exerted a little pressure at the tiny stone that hung in the middle.  A small needle protruded from the other side of the stone.  

            "What is it?"  Catherine questioned in a puzzled tone.

            "It is a Coda training device."

            "What's a Coda?"

            "They were a sect of assassins whose leader was killed by Takeru.  This device was used by them to keep their prisoner's in line.  They came after us once in their hunt for Takeru but with the help of the Guardians, we wiped them out completely."

            "The Minister told me that the device was on the body of a dead hunter that Takeru killed.  He removed the device, as he had been told to do, so that no suspicion would be aroused when they checked the hunter's body.  Afterwards, he simply bided his time for us to make our move so that he could talk to one of us."

            "What does he want?"  Mimi questioned distractedly, turning the necklace over in her palm.

            "He wants to leave this city and return to the Guardians.  Ever since Sanctuary's destruction, he has not had any contact with them.  He seems to think they may have forgotten about him."

            "I'll talk to him," Mimi said with a nod.  "However, I think it would be best if he stayed here and helped us a little.  Do you think he'll go along with this?"

            "I don't know Mimi," Catherine sighed.  "He seemed pretty tired.  I think what Takeru did just got to him."

            "You mean what happened to Cain's son."  Mimi frowned.  "I will put this to Takeru when he comes back.  He had better have a good reason for going to these lengths."

            "I am sure he had good reason," Catherine said, starting down the hallway again.  "As for now, I would suggest you try to handle him delicately."

            Mimi grunted, pocketing the necklace and following along behind her.  She was led up a flight of stairs to the second floor of the small building and in front of two large wooden doors.  Catherine pushed open the doors, stepping into the room, Mimi following in her wake.  Inside the room, four men sat at a large rectangular table.  One of them immediately sprang to his feet the moment the door opened.

            "Ambassador..." he began angrily but then trailed off as Mimi stepped into the room.

            "Sit down Minister," she said curtly, walking to the head of the table.

            The man sank back into his seat slowly.

            All right then," Mimi said, glancing around the table, "here is how it is.  As of now, this city belongs to the Chosen."

            The statement engendered an immediate response from three of the four Ministers.

            "You have no authority here."

            "We will fight you."

            "Kroy won't bow down to anyone."

            Mimi let the three men vent until the room had lapsed into silence.  She glanced around silently at each Minister, noting that the last one she paused on was looking at things a little bit differently.  Where the other three Ministers were viewing her with open hostility now, this man's face showed a remarkable lack of concern.  The best way to describe his expression would be to say that it was neutral.  He was probably Catherine's Guardian. 

            "I'm afraid the matter is out of your hands now."  She began slowly, keeping an eye on all four men.  "We waited to see whether you would prove capable leaders but you failed miserably.  Where you should have acted quickly, decisively and with unity, you fell into your own petty power struggles.  Now, we have to step in before it is too late.  I will not allow this city to become another Cathal."

            "We still have our militia."

            "With all due respect, your militia is a bunch of half trained boys with little battle experience.  The few battle hardened mercenaries you have will desert the moment they see my legions.  And furthermore, there is really nothing left of your personal guards either or else you would not be here."

            "We will see about that."  Three of the four men began to rise to their feet.

            Mimi raised a hand and all three froze in place.  "I'm afraid you gentlemen don't realize the gravity of the situation.  I cannot allow you to leave this building until after everything has been calmed down.  Afterwards, we can discuss what role you may play in our administration."  She lowered her hand, letting the control she had exerted over the four men, loosen a little.  "For now, you are our guests but do not try to run.  The consequences won't be pleasant."  Turning on her heels, she marched out of the room.

            Catherine closed the doors as the two women exited the room.  "You enjoyed that, didn't you?"  She questioned with a smile.

            Mimi grinned back at her.  "Yeah, I did.  They need to have their ego's deflated.  She started walking down the hall.  "By the way, arrange to have that Guardian in there disappear and bring him to me.  Whatever information he knows could prove valuable."

            "What are you going to do now?"

            "Order my scouts to go and gather as much information out there as possible.  I need to know the face of this terrain."

_________________________________

            Miyako Inoue sighed, leaning back in her chair and slipping her thumb and forefinger underneath her glasses to rub her eyes.  The chair she was sitting in was straight-backed so she did not get as much relief as she wanted.

            "I've always wondered why you didn't just design contacts for yourself."

            Miyako lowered her hand and glanced towards the entrance of the tent.  A small lantern handing from the apex of the tent cast the small space in soft light, draping the figure standing at the entrance in shadows.

            "Glasses are more utilitarian and besides, my eyes are not so far gone that I can't function without them."  Staring down at the handful of reports on the table in front of her, she grimaced.  There was still a good three hours of work left.  "Was there something you wanted Steve?"  She asked distractedly, picking up one of the reports.

            "Well actually, Lee told me to check up on you."  Steve said, walking up to her desk.  The light from the lamp revealed a compact, medium sized young man, his dark hair seeming to glint in the firelight cast by the lantern.

            Miyako scowled up at the man who currently served as the Commander of the troops stationed near the ruins of the outpost of Seona.  He grinned back at her.  "This game of one-upmanship between you two never gets old."

            "And I suppose he got Sora to agree with him?"

            "Of course!  Lady Takenouchi said she didn't want to look like she was choosing sides."

            Miyako sighed tiredly.  "All right, I get the point.  When I'm finished with this report, I'll get some sleep."

            Steve raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms.

            "What?"  Miyako snapped irritably, her famous temper beginning to slip its leash.

            "Oh nothing," he replied undisturbed.  "I was just wondering whether you were really serious.  It is hard to tell sometimes."  Suddenly, he crouched down on the floor.  "I think I'll keep you company."

            "Don't you have any other duties?"  Miyako questioned, scowling down at him.

            "Nope, everything is taken care of.  I'm all yours for the night."  He paused.  "Wow, that didn't come out right at all."

            Despite her irritation, Miyako found herself chuckling.  "I'm serious.  When I'm done with this one report, I'll turn in for the night."

            "I'll stay, just in case."

            "How much sleep have you gotten in the past two days?"  Miyako questioned.

            "Not a lot," Steve replied, covering a yawn.  He stretched himself out on the hard floor, wrapping his cloak around himself.  "So, the sooner you get to sleep, the sooner I can get to sleep."

            Miyako scowled.  "This won't work, you know.  You can't run a guilt trip like this on me."

            On the floor, Steve just smiled, shifting around and trying to get comfortable.

            "It won't work," she said through gritted teeth.

            Five minutes later, Miyako found herself shifting around in the small cot that served as her bed, trying to get comfortable.  Sighing, she rolled over onto her back and stared up at the tiny bit of light the now shuttered lantern was giving off.  Closing her eyes, she drifted back to a week ago.

            Usually, whenever they got together at their half-year reunions, they could hardly keep their hands off each other.  That had changed at the last two reunions.  It had all started late last year when she had recoiled from him.  She had not meant to do that but after what had happened...

            No, that was not a particular memory she wanted to relive and besides, she had recovered from that ordeal.  He had missed all of her signals this time though, which was unusual.  There had been a distance, an almost feeling of coldness to him this time.  It was almost like he had been intentionally trying to avoid her.  Was there someone else?

            No, that could not be it either.  They meant more to each other then that.  If there was one thing she could count on, it was for Ken to be completely honest with her.  That was one of the better things about dating within their little group.  Being so close knit took away most of the nervousness and tension associated with the first and oft times even the second and third date.  That was not to say that the tension completely vanished.  Not one of them wanted to ruin the bonds, however tentative they were in some cases, they had forged with each other.  However, if there was one thing Miyako had learned from her teammates, it was possible to remain friends even if the relationship failed.  She had avoided those pitfalls with Ken though.  There was a level of security and comfort there that she had come to depend on over the years.  So, no, he would not deliberately keep it from her if there was someone else.  Which left only one possibility; he must have had his own problem.  Only, he had not come to her and probably because of what had happened last year.  Oh gods, this was confusing.  What was she going to do now?  What she really wanted to do was talk to him but that wasn't going to happen for a while.

            Her mind whirling with thoughts, she drifted off in uneasy sleep.

            A loud explosion woke her up sometime later.  The ground rumbled underneath her cot as she sat up quickly in bed.  Another explosion rocked the ground as she rolled to her feet.  The camp was under attack.  As she bowed her head to put on her boots, a sudden shuffling sound caught her attention.  There was someone in the room with her.

            As she was looking up, a shadow in the corner of the room suddenly surged towards her.  She whirled back to her pillow, grabbing the knife she hid underneath it just as the shadow slammed into her, tackling her to the floor.  Her assailant quickly grabbed the hand, which held the knife and twisted brutally.  Fingers opening despite her effort to keep them closed, she dropped the knife.  Her other hand was still free though and she used it to punch the figure above her.  There was a soft grunt and then the man, she was pretty sure it was a man, tried to grab her other arm.

            The slight sweaty smell, the harsh grunting as they struggled and the feel of his body atop hers awakened memories she had locked away.  A feeling of panic gripped her and she went still, allowing him to grip her other arm.  She almost sobbed as he pushed her arms above her head.  It could not be happening again; she would not let it happen again.

            As she went still, the man above her made the mistake of letting down his guard and in that moment, she awakened from her stupor and struck.  Lifting up a knee, she brought it up swiftly between his legs.  As he fell forward, groaning in pain, she twisted sideways, freeing her wrists and grabbed her dagger.  She was too far gone now to care that she had him at her mercy.

            Raising the dagger, she plunged it into his back.  Again and again and again.  She lost count as to how many times she stabbed him but then another explosion, the loudest yet, almost uprooting her tent with its intensity, snapped her out of her state of mind.  Seeing all the blood and gore on the ground, on her hands and even in her hair almost made her gag.  

            She fought back all the memories and feelings that threatened to overwhelm her at the moment and staggered to her feet.  The camp was under attack and she needed to get out there and see what was happening.  Stumbling out of her tent, she was met with a vision of destruction.  Fully half of the large camp they had set up was gone.  In the sky, several shafts of white light stood open from which more and more dark Digimon were exiting.

            It was the dead of night, yet the space around her suddenly brightened.  She stared up and saw two huge fireballs headed towards her tent.  Cursing under her breath, she forced her legs to move.  It would not be good enough, she knew as she started running.  The fireballs she had seen were too big and she would never get out of the blast radius in enough time.  Still, it was not in her nature to just stand still and let death come.  

            As she was running, something suddenly hurled into her back, enveloping her in feathery wings and shielding her from the huge explosion that followed.  Looking up, she gazed into the hawkish eyes of her Digimon partner, Aquilamon.

            "Are you ok?"  He questioned, looking her over critically.

            Breathing a sigh of relief, Miyako nodded.  "Where are the others?"  She responded wiping her bloodied hands absently on her pants. 

            "Steve formed up the remnants of our forces in the woods east of here.  The attack was sudden and we were caught completely by surprise.  I came back to get you when it became clear that you had not left the camp."

            Miyako frowned.  She had been in the tent that long?  Shaking her head, she locked away what had happened.  It was something to be dwelled upon later.  For now, she had other duties.

            "Let's biomerge and head over there then."  She said, pushing on Aquilamon's wings and stepping out from underneath their shelter.  Overhead, the shafts of light and the Digimon had vanished.

            Aquilamon started to break up into bits of data and moments later the two were on their way.

_______________________________

            The rising sun cast faint rays in the launch pad of the outpost of Zenon, driving away the last traces of darkness.  Willis yawned, adjusting his dark brown cloak around himself to ward away some of the chilly air.  He looked up at the sky again wondering when Hikari was going to show up.  The sooner he was out of the cold, the better.

            It had been a surprise to find out that Hikari was coming here in person.  When he had contacted her late last night, he had expected her to send Iori or maybe some other underling.  That she was coming in person meant that the situation was far more serious then he had first thought.  Or maybe she had finally fallen for him, a guy could hope after all.  Chuckling to himself, he glanced towards the walls encasing the courtyard and tracked the movements of the sentries up there.

            "Kokomon," he said, looking back at the furry, bear like behemoth standing behind him.  "Go tell the sentries on the north wall to lengthen their patrols a bit and to keep an eye on the north-west corner.  The two on that side seem to be a little lax."

            The Digimon nodded and trotted off towards the wall.

            Willis yawned again, rubbing his eyes.  After the attack last night, he had stayed awake to coordinate countermeasures and inform the Chosen of their situation.  The strain of that communication and the how hard he had been pushing himself ever since was finally catching up to him.

            "You should get some sleep."  The second Digimon standing behind him chimed in with his thoughts.

            "I will Terriermon," Willis responded with a frown.  "As soon as Hikari gets here and I finish greeting her."

            The small Digimon grunted, a curious sound that reminded him of his mom when she was angry with him.  "You're not likely to sleep today, are you?"

            "Of course not," Willis remarked with a grin.  "This is Hikari we're talking about after all.  We don't get a visit from her very often."

            "So that's why you're dressed up."  Terriermon replied lazily.  "Your mating rituals are so strange."

            "That is not why I'm dressed up."  Willis protested quickly.  "She outranks me in our hierarchy and I can't exactly whip up an honor guard because all of our guys are busy with patrol duty.  I have to look good to make up for the lack of proper courtesy."

            Terriermon rolled his eyes.  "And I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that she looks like a walking heart attack.  That was how you described her once, wasn't it?"

            "Don't make me muzzle you again."

            "Maybe I'll just think it out loud then."

            "When did you get to be such a wise a..."

            A rush of chilly air suddenly hit him, followed by the steady roar of jets.  Moments later, the aircraft came into view, cresting the top of the castle wall.  It held its position for a moment as the identity of the passenger was confirmed and then it slowly approached the flight pad.  Raising a hand to his face, Willis covered himself from the wind as the aircraft came to a gentle rest on the flight pad.  As he walked forward, a side hatch swung open and a metallic ladder extended to the ground.  A tall, slender woman stepped up to the opening, an Angemon trailing in his wake.

            It had been nearly a year since he had last seen Hikari Yagami but she still looked as breathtaking as ever.  A raven black cape hung off her shoulders, framing a lithe, slender dancer's body.  She was garbed in tight, form fitting clothes that resembled battle attire then anything else.  Her posture was straight backed, rigid; her slender figure like a slim blade ready for battle.  The hard grim look on her face made her look like a woman prepared for a long fight and he quickly began reassessing whether the attack had meant a lot more then he had thought.

            "Willis," she bowed her head slightly in greeting as she stepped past him.  "Come along, we've got a lot to discuss."

            Willis mentally shook himself; he had been gawking at her like a fool.  Thankfully, she was too preoccupied to notice or too polite to call it into question.  Either way, he was not going to look a gift horse in the mouth.  He was about to turn around and follow after her but suddenly Terriermon sniffed the air, looking at the Angemon that had finally descended the stairs following Hikari.

            "It's... you.  You're back?"

            The battle helmet on the Angemon's head creaked as he swung his head slowly downwards.  A small smile came to the lips of the Angel.  

            "It is good to see you two again."

            Willis stared up at the Angel Digimon in surprise.  "When did you two return?"

            "About two weeks ago."

            "Where is..."

            "I'll answer everything when we are inside."  Hikari interrupted impatiently.  "Until then, let's just get inside."

            Angemon shrugged his shoulders apologetically.  "She's the boss."        

            Willis grinned sardonically, turning and motioning for Hikari to lead the way.  He, Terriermon and Angemon followed her to his office where he watched with some amusement as she took his seat.  Taking the visitor's chair, he asked, "I am a bit surprised that you chose to come yourself instead of sending Iori."

            "This situation is unique.  You showed me Precision gateways being opened here."

            "What I don't understand is how they got our coordinates.  One of the portals opened right in the middle of the main courtyard."

            "That disturbs me as well."  Hikari frowned thoughtfully.  "The coordinates you showed me were mapped by Iori and myself back when we first built the outposts."

            "Why would you do that?"  Willis questioned.  "I thought the whole reason you reshaped the continents was so the Dark Ocean forces would be limited in the use of Precision Gateways."

            "Last year, Koushirou came to the rest of us with a proposal.  He said that he had made some significant headway with the virus that originally destroyed our ability to make portals.  He needed some coordinates for testing though and we agreed to supply him with that information.  The places you showed me where the gateways first opened matched the coordinates I gave Koushirou."

            Willis' eyes widened as he understood the full ramifications of what he had just been told.  "Are we looking at a full scale invasion?  Just how many coordinates did you map for this project?"

            "It is not that serious."  Hikari replied with a shake of her head.  "At most, all of us mapped a handful of coordinates in one location.  And  all of us chose the border outposts just so a full scale invasion would be impossible."

            Willis sighed softly.  "Have you found out how they got their hands on these coordinates?"

            "What I am about to tell you now will stay between us two."  Hikari waited for him to nod before continuing.  "Last week, at the summit, we learned that an outpost on Igniz had been infiltrated by Bakemon.  Sora managed to destroy it completely but not before she recovered a journal there which mentioned a visitor from Alecrast.  According to Sora's administration, no such record of a visit existed with them."

            "You suspect Jyou or Koushirou?"  Willis questioned incredulously.

            Hikari shrugged.  "At this point, anything is a long-shot but these attacks only seem to point in that direction.  In any case, we've already got people working on that particular problem.  I am here to ensure that any more attacks don't get past this base.  The first attack was probably just a primer to find more locations nearby that they can use.  I will restructure this outpost while keeping an eye out for other gateways being opened in the vicinity of this base.  I'll be better able to detect them on the thoughtscape then your instruments would be able to pick them up.  This way you'll have adequate warning before the next attack comes."

            Willis nodded thoughtfully, absorbing the information.  "All right, I'll take you to the attack points when you're rested."

            "Actually, you can take me to them now."  Hikari said, rising to her feet.  "I should probably give this entire base a once over just in case."

            Bowing his head, Willis led her out of the room.

___________________________

            Images and sounds, random and strange, danced before his eyes.

            _A sword thrust through his back, his blood staining the ground crimson, the spirit of a man glowing ethereally beside him._

**"I would that this world be done with me."**

_A ripple spreading through a pond and then the image changed to a tall, dark haired man._

**"My name is Akiyama, Ryo, and I need your help."**

            _Image changing again to a small camp hidden high among snow capped mountains._

            **"This is all that remains of a once fair world.  The leader of this camp is named Ruki Makino."**

            _A sense of dread filling him as the image changed again.  The broken, bleeding body of a dead woman lay before him.  Her eyes closed in peace as they never were in life._

**            "A little too late."  **_A soft, lilting voice with a faint edge of mockery sounding behind him._**"She put up quite a struggle."**

            _With a growl more animal then human, he twists around, bring up a knife concealed in his sleeve.  There is a splatter of blood._

_            A pair of crimson eyes stare at him disinterestedly, then flick sideways and down to where his dagger has carved a thing gash in her bicep._

**"If you want to kill me,"**_ she says softly, taking his blood stained hand and bringing it to her heart, _**"strike here."**

_He stares at her, his eyes pained._

_            She reaches forward with her other hand, gently stroking his cheek.  _**"You can't do it, can you?"**

_He turns his face into her hand, blinking away tears that threaten to fall.  _**"Hi.. Hikari, why..."** _he mumbles in a pained voice._

_            A sudden force hits him suddenly, pushing him backwards and flattening him against a granite wall.  He slumps to the floor as the force holding him against the wall suddenly vanishes.  The sound of footsteps and then a hand takes his chin and forces him to look upwards.  His vision swimming, he focuses on a pair of ruby eyes that have haunted him for all the many years he has been alive._

**"You had the perfect chance.  Next time, don't hold back.  I will not be so lenient twice."**

            _The image fades in a storm of angel feathers floating down from a darkened sky._

Takeru opened his eyes and saw a beautiful woman standing beside the small cot he was laying upon, staring down at him.

            "Have any interesting dreams?"  She questioned with a small smile.

            Grimacing, Takeru raised a hand to massage his temples.  "That was devious of you."

            Isuzu sat down on the edge of his cot.  "I had no choice.  There are no drugs on board and this was the only possible way to weaken you mentally.  If it is any consolation, the images you saw will fade away fast."  She stroked his cheek gently and for a second her image blurred and he saw Hikari looking down at him.  "The headache though, will remain."  He concentrated on her words, forcing his muddled mind to struggle for clarity.  "Let us see if your mental defenses are still as formidable."

            Takeru groaned, sitting up in bed.  His vision swam as he glanced towards the entrance to his small cell aboard Isuzu's aircraft.  A small girl stood there, her eyes closed in concentration.

            "One of our own telepaths," Isuzu explained.  "It is easy to instill the power in them when they are young."

            A slow pressure began building in Takeru's head and he closed his eyes, trying to concentrate.  The effort defeated him though as the telepath managed to get through his blocks.  And then something happened that he had not expected to happen, a ward suddenly activated in his mind putting up a block against the telepath.  The pressure from the telepath persisted, slowly increasing until Takeru's head was screaming with pain.  Suddenly, another ward activated itself.  The response to the telepath's invasion was anything but gentle.

            Takeru opened his eyes and saw the small girl stagger back.  A trickle of blood began leaking out of her ears as she collapsed to the floor.  Within Takeru's mind, the two wards quietly switched off and he slumped back on his cot.

            "Well well," Isuzu said thoughtfully, glancing back at the child convulsing on the floor.  "I suppose I should have expected this.  It is surprising that you would let a telepath have that much access to your mind."

            Takeru watched silently, his vision still blurring hazily.  He had not known about the wards although it stood to reason that Hikari would have taken measures.  She would not allow him to put himself in danger without taking some steps that would ensure his protection.  It angered him though that she had not told him but a little of that anger was directed at himself.  How had she managed to hide those two wards in his mind without him noticing?

            "Poor little thing," Isuzu said gently and he found that she was kneeling down beside the girl who had stopped convulsing on the floor.  She brushed a lock of red hair off the forehead of the girl and looked over at him.  "Tell me Takeru, how does it feel to have the blood of two innocent children on your hand."

            Making his voice as firm as he could, he replied, "I deliver results asked of me."

            "Ah yes Kroy."  Isuzu smiled mysteriously.  "I doubt the Chosen will have as easy a time with it as they expect.  There is a little surprise I've left for them at our Embassy."  She rose to her feet and stepped out of the small cell, locking the door behind her.  "I'll send someone in to clean this up.  Until then, she can keep you company."

            Takeru sat up a little, leaning against the wall his cot was set against.  Watching her leave, he brought one hand up and laid it against his forehead, gently rubbing his temples.  Gradually, the headache he felt began to subside as he channeled his own healing power.

            His gaze settled briefly on the body of the little girl.  He glanced away, flopping back on his small cot and staring at the ceiling.  This was not to be dwelt on.  He could not afford to show them any weakness.

            In an attempt to focus on something else, he turned towards the dream he had experienced.  Even now, the images were beginning to fade as he had known they would.  It was a bi-product of traveling in between dimensions.  The subconscious mind acted as a tuner, picking up signals from other realities, other timelines and it was even theorized, that it was open to the future.  In all the accounts, Takeru had ever read, the images faded away quickly.  So, what exactly had he seen?  Had it been another reality or had he seen his future?

            As the images faded from his mind, he was left with a sense of disquiet.  He had been fighting with Hikari for some reason.  And then, even that little scrap of knowledge faded, leaving him with a mild, throbbing headache that his powers could not fix.

___________________________

            At the head of the small skiff, Yamato peered into the fog, trying to make out any traces of land.  He had been on the water for half a week now; steering in the direction the Shurimon had given him.  Today though, had come the first sign that he was near land.  Up ahead, he could hear the water crashing onto a shore.  His eyes began to pick out details as the fog slowly dissipated.  His small boat was headed towards a small rocky beach, a lush forest spread beyond it.  As he got closer to the beach, his boat finally sliding to a stop, the fog lifted completely.

            Yamato gazed up in awe, his mouth falling open as he looked around.  He was inside a large valley, Snowcapped Mountains filling the horizon.  A quick look behind him revealed a small lake that had moments before been the Digital Ocean.

            "The Hidden Isle," Gabumon said softly, moving up beside him.  "I did not think it was anything more then legend."

            Yamato grunted, stepping off the skiff and onto the shore.  As soon as his feet touched the ground, he felt the entire world shift.  A sensation like a current of electricity running through his body, assaulted his senses.  It caused him to stiffen involuntarily.

            "Is something wrong?"  Gabumon questioned, his voice full of concern.

            Shaking his head slowly, Yamato looked down at the ground.  "It was... something.  Step down here and tell me what you feel."

            Gabumon leapt off the skiff, landing lightly on the shore.  He sniffed the air delicately then looked up at Yamato.  "I didn't feel anything."  He sniffed the air again.  "There is something though; I smell smoke."

            Yamato meanwhile was scanning the mountains in the distance.  "Gabumon," he suddenly said hurriedly, "bio-merge, quick."

            Gabumon looked up, trying to see what had caused the concern in his partner's voice.  His eyes widened as he saw a large onyx construct rising in the distance.  It had been quite a long time since he had last seen a Black Spire.

________________________________

The essence of chaos rebels at the thought of order.  Yet Mimi Tachikawa must find a way to enforce order on chaos.  Next Chapter: Kroy-The Burning City.


	8. Chapter Eight

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.

**A/N:** This is short, painfully short, I'm afraid. There was so much more I wanted to do here but that will have to wait for next chapter. And that chapter will be monstrous, I promise you. Anyway, happy new year everybody and if you are reading this fic, check out my new one called Memories of Light. You won't be disappointed. ;)

* * *

At the end of our war with the Renegade, the Aal chose to hide themselves. Ultimately, the planet Earth belonged to them but it was inherited by the soldiers we had sent there. It was during the time of Setsuna's betrayal that the Aal once again played a major role.

_Chronicles of the Elder Races Volume 9 in the History of the Universe_

* * *

Deep within the mountain cave, a hooded figure stirred from his slumber. The air was filled with the cloying stench of smoke and he could see that it had finally penetrated this last sanctum. Stumbling to his feet, he checked one of the shrouded figures sitting unnaturally still near himself. With a small sigh, he closed the sightless eyes staring back at him. Ra'then had been his friend for countless centuries. His passing was just one more blow in the recent string of losses he had endured; losses, his whole race had endured.

Knee joints creaking, he sat down cross-legged and began to chant the last rites for his kind. He did not get them right as he had not gotten them right for his past three friends. There was something in the smoke that was clouding his thoughts. It was yet another preventative measure. The traditions of the Aal held their own power though and that power could not be blocked with the black abominations that had been erected outside. If he could only finish the chant, he might be able to link with whoever remained of his race through the one common link they all shared, sadness. Afterwards, all they would have to do was combine their strength and send a message over the thoughtscape, which would be detected by one of the Star Born telepaths. It was plan with the slimmest chance of success and its execution depended on him finding enough of his race with the will and capacity to survive. He had no other choice.

Gathering his resources as best as he was able, he began to chant the last rites again. This time he almost reached the end but something else stopped him.

'Did you think I would not block you, fool of a race of fools. You could have been mighty again in the land that once belonged to you if you had only done what I asked. Now, I will crush your feeble race into the dust from which it rose.'

Fighting back the pain in his mind, the Aal focused his thoughts and began the chant again. The voice stayed with him but this time he kept his focus. As he chanted the last line, he could feel his consciousness beginning to drift. The telepath made one last attempt to hold him but through pure determination, the Aal managed to break through.

As his consciousness drifted out of the cave and into the sky beyond, he focused on finding the rest of his people. What he found was very discouraging. There were so few living among the greater dead. It might not be enough to launch his plan. Despair threatened to overwhelm him but then one of the life signs he had detected reached out to him.

_'Who is there?'_

Wonder filled the Aal. Of all the people in his race he could have encountered, he never imagined that a telepath would be one of them. With a desperate urgency, he responded, _'Brother, lend me your strength. We may be able to save what few of our people are left.'_

_'What is the use?'_ The voice responded in a desolate tone.

Channeling all his anger to overcome the helplessness he felt, the Aal said, _'We cannot give up. The Aal have survived for centuries. If we are to die, our deaths must have more purpose then this. Have we even repaid the debt we owe to our planet?' _He felt a stirring at the last sentence and then:

'I will help you although I am no sure it will do any good.'

_'We will never know unless we try.' _Seizing hold of the other Aal's presence, he anchored himself so that his own energies could be drawn upon.

He felt the other Aal gather his energies and was shocked at how weak they were. One thing suddenly became clear then, this act was the last thing this Aal would ever do. And then, his own energies were being drawn upon. He felt them rise to a peak and then there was a burst and they were released.

'My name was Mak'heil. Chant the song of mourning for me if you have the time.'

The consciousness of the Aal faded and then he was by himself again. Severely weakened, he closed his eyes. There was nothing more to be done. He would have to hope for the best.

Unfortunately, at that very moment, Daisuke Motomiya triggered his own mental burst in the City of Atlantis. The two energies collided on the thoughtscape and cancelled each other.

The Aal knew none of this though. He lay on the floor of his cave growing progressively weaker. After some time that he had no way of measuring, he heard the howling of a wolf.

* * *

Standing atop a building, Mimi Tachikawa stared down in consternation at the mob gathered in the town square at the middle of Kroy. At first she had thought that Takeru had been behind this too but now she was not as sure. Below, the shouting of the crowd rose in volume again. Mimi made herself look down at the spectacle. Her men would not judge her as weak if she turned away but this was something she had to bear witness to. After all, it was her decision not to send anybody to help the victims. The shrill screams of the current victim did not help either as, bound and gagged, she was offered up to an altar erected in the middle of the square. A hooded figure stepped up to the altar, an already bloody knife in his hand. With calm deliberation, he began to work on the woman. Cutting chunks of her flesh; he hurled them into the crowd. The woman lasted a long time due to the slow pace of her butcher.

There was a low growling sound beside her and she reached out and put her hand on the shoulder of the man standing to her left. "Easy Hassan," she murmured, trying to keep the shakiness from her voice. "I promise, we will pay them back for this."

She wished that she could believe that herself. Despite the barbaric acts below, she could not detect any trace of evil with her powers. Even the hooded figure seemed fairly ambivalent. There was an underlying sense of something else but it disappeared whenever she tried to focus on it. The whole thing was maddening in a way.

Down below, the woman finally stopped screaming. The roar of the mob subsided as well. For the moment, it seemed as if they had run out of victims.

Mimi turned to face the small group of scouts gathered behind her. All of them were ashen faced and judging by the faint stench of vomit, some of them had been physically ill at the sight. That was another regret. Being Chosen, she knew what it felt like to have your innocence stripped from you. Most of the scouts surrounding her were battle hardened but that only served as a thin layer of protection when confronted with acts such as the one they had just seen. They had all lost a little just witnessing the scene. She had to take them past the moment.

Clearing her throat, Mimi said, "All right, you have all seen what we face. I plan to crush that mob at sunrise but first; I want you to do something. The acts down there are reprehensible and I want to know why they are occurring. The answers may lie in the ruins of the Dark Ocean Embassy. I want you all to proceed cautiously. Whatever affected the mob down there may affect you as well. Take the utmost precaution but find me a reason for these acts."

The three boys and two girls nodded and Mimi watched as they left. She stayed on the roof for half an hour more, observing the crowd as it settled down and the people began to lie down on the cold, hard floor. Mimi frowned, as they appeared to go to sleep. The synchronicity of it was yet another oddity.

Seeing all that she wanted to see, Mimi unfurled her own wings. It was time to get back to the Embassy. She had to give the soldiers as once over and check in with Saiki and then Taichi. Afterwards, she had to plan out how she was going to crush that crowd tomorrow. All in all, it was going to be one long night.

* * *

"There is something I want to show you," Koushirou said seriously. "It has weighed heavily on me for a week now and I want a straight answer."

Across the small table, Jyou looked up from the chessboard he had been studying. Raising one eyebrow, he said, "Go ahead."

Producing his D3, Koushirou hit a few buttons and passed it to Jyou. "This is a recording of a meeting we were not told about at the last summit."

"I didn't know you had taken to eavesdropping." Jyou said, taking the Digivice.

"You know as well as I that knowledge is power. Logically, I try to gather as much information as possible even if it means spying on our friends."

Jyou grunted as Taichi, Sora, Miyako and Hikari appeared on screen. Sighing, he shut off the D3 and passed it back to Koushirou. "How long have we been friends?"

"Since before the Heighten View Incident, all those years ago." Koushirou chuckled softly. "It was always you, Mimi and myself. I take it that you already knew about this?"

Jyou nodded. "Sora told Mimi and she told me."

"Why would Sora do that? From the video I saw, they were going to keep it all within their group."

"Sora and Mimi are as close as sisters. That's why Sora felt it best that Mimi know about this since she is close to both of us. She came to me later that day and subjected me to a complete metal scan."

"Wait," Koushirou interjected, "that makes no sense. The tactical advantages of keeping you in the dark outweigh just exposing you outright. Furthermore, they should have kept Mimi out of it simply because she is so close to us. I can't believe Sora could be this irresponsible."

Jyou shrugged. "I can only guess at her motivation but as for why she told Mimi..." he paused briefly, rubbing the back of his neck, "she and I have an... arrangement, I guess you would call it."

Koushirou's eyes slowly widened and then smirking, he said, "You dog. How long has this been going on?"

"The first time was a few months after Michael was killed. You remember how hard she took his death."

"Yeah, that was pretty bad." Koushirou sighed, looking down at the chessboard. "So, what do we do now?"

"We both submit ourselves to a complete physical checkup. That Brain Wave Transmitter you constructed should do for a mental scan."

"And what about the Guardian they are sending here?"

"Let him do what he needs to do. It will give the others some measure of relief. Meanwhile, we can launch our own investigation into whether someone here was responsible for what happened at Seona."

It was left unsaid that only they had the clearance to commit such an act and then cover it up so thoroughly.

* * *

The gray void of the thoughtscape slowly dissolved around Mimi, reforming into a white nothingness. She smiled, looking around and slowly muttered to herself, "And he had the nerve to call me a ditz."

A moment later, the object of her ridicule appeared in front of her. "How are things at Kroy," Taichi questioned without preamble.

"Not so good," Mimi replied gravely. "There is something that you should see but it is very disturbing."

"Show it to me," Taichi said. "I doubt it will be any worse then what I have already seen today."

"You want to bet," Mimi muttered before drawing upon her powers. The white nothingness around them slowly dissipated.

Mimi watched Taichi's face as the scene she had witnessed earlier played out in all its gruesome glory. He seemed to be taking it a lot better then she had done. There was little she could read in his face. As the scene ended, he turned towards her.

"Ok, you win," he conceded with a sigh. "What are you planning to do about this?"

"My units are ready to move at dawn tomorrow. We will disperse this crowd and then see what is causing all this."

"But you have reservations about this plan," Taichi added. "Did you sense anything while you were observing the crowd?"

"That's just it, I sensed nothing. No malice, no cruelty, no sense of evil at all. There was just a faint trace of something but whenever I tried to get it, it slipped out of reach. I hope to have an answer tomorrow when we've captured one of these people."

"All right, keep me updated and deal with this situation as fast as you can. With how things are going here, I am going to need your powers pretty soon."

"Oh, is the situation that serious?"

"Pretty much," Taichi grimaced. "The bastards have gotten around their own virus. They now have access to precision gateways. I've got a few Psimon tracking the energy trails and everything is quiet for now but I doubt things will stay that way for long."

"All right, I'll try to finish up as quickly as I can."

"There is one other thing," Taichi said grimly. "Kroy has been an open port for all of us. It is very likely that they have the coordinates for that place. I want the city destroyed and the landscape altered."

"There are people outside of the city that will protest. Are you sure about this?"

"If they complain too much, show them what you just showed me. It will make them think twice about their complaints."

Mimi shrugged. "Ok, but this won't go over well with the citizenry either way. They will not care who destroys their homes."

"Just get it done and get here as soon as you can."

Mimi nodded, dissolving the link between them. Her consciousness made its way back across the thoughtscape to her body. This time when the gray void dissipated, she found herself sitting inside a bathtub. The lukewarm water sloshed around as she raised her hand and rubbed her temples. Slowly, she went back over her day. After instructing her scouts, she had inspected the legions standing by and discussed strategies for crushing that mob tomorrow. Leaving Lillymon to oversee the legion's deployment, she had come back to the Embassy and been escorted to her room. Afterwards, she had drawn up a bath and then decided to contact Taichi. So, what was left before she turned in for the night?

Her eye caught the necklace sitting on the frame of the bathtub. With a sigh, she picked it up and stared at it. Why had Takeru chosen to use this particular device? Had it been a message to her? Did he know of her involvement? If he did know, what did he hope to gain by telling her now? It was a maddening series of questions with very few answers. Perhaps she should not have used him like that to get her own revenge on the Coda but then again, she had not been exactly rational back then.

Sighing, she put that whole ordeal out of her mind and rose to her feet. Drying herself off, she stepped in front of the dressing mirror and examined herself critically. Her white alabaster skin was a pink rosy hue from the warm bath. All in all, she could not say that she was wholly unattractive just yet. There were a few scars here and there from various battles but they did not completely mar her beauty. Still, her mother would have been shocked to see her precious daughter marked in such a manner. Reflexively, she flexed her arm into a hardened bicep.

"I'm probably getting too muscular to be putting on dresses," she muttered to herself. "You would hate that too, wouldn't you mom?"

Wrapping the towel around herself and reforming it into a pair of sleeping pajamas, she turned and opened the door of the bathroom. A shadow at the edge of her vision caught her eye and reflexively she stepped back. A dagger thudded into the door mere centimeters away from her face.

Moving on pure instinct, Mimi pulled the dagger out with a quick efficient movement. Then, throwing up her shield, she stepped forward cautiously into the room, scanning every place thoroughly. It did not take her long to see her attacker. He was standing a few feet away and had made no effort to conceal himself. Even more shocking was that she knew this man.

Eyes narrowing, she called out his name. "Hassan."

His head twitched, swinging upwards until his eyes were fixed upon her. She saw only emptiness there. It was almost hypnotic and she did not even notice him move until he had already collided with her shield. However, he did not recoil from the touch. Electricity from the shield crackled, frying his outstretched arms but he did not flinch, his eyes still fixed upon her. However, the momentary respite gave her time to use her powers to probe the man's mind. Unfortunately she did not find anything there. It was the same as when she had tried scanning the crowd earlier.

She cut off the mental probe as his hands inched closer to her throat. He was actually forcing his way through to her despite the pain it had to be causing him. She could see the blackened and charred skin of his hands. Frowning, she decided to go all out. It was apparent that there would be no reasoning with the man. He was too far-gone and her powers could not help him.

Drawing upon as much as energy as she was able, Mimi focused it all into her shield. There was a loud crackling sound and then Hassan was flying backwards. The recoil from her shield threw him across the room until he came into contact with the far wall with a bone-jarring thud. The impact left an imprint in the wall as he collapsed to the ground, seemingly unconscious.

Mimi clutched the dagger tightly in her hand as she approached the man cautiously. She silently berated herself for leaving Palmon with the legions outside. However, this whole situation was rather unpredictable and very confusing. Using her mental powers again, she began to probe what was left of Hassan's mind. Plunging deep into the depths of his subconscious, she found a sense of intelligence but it kept escaping her grasp.

She was vaguely aware of the door to her room crashing open behind her. Raising an arm, she motioned for the guards that had rushed into her room to be quiet. There was a whisper of someone being sent to get Catherine and then she tuned them out completely, focusing on what she had sensed.

There was a hint of darkness that she followed deeper and deeper into what remained of one of her scouts. The trace suddenly began to get weaker and she realized that whatever had possessed Hassan was in the process of terminating itself. Using her powers, she created a sense of life in the corpse. It seemed to work as the signal grew a bit stronger. Dangling her own powers like a carrot, she methodically drew the thing out from wherever it was hiding. Leaving a trace of life at the topmost part of his chest, she withdrew into her own mind.

Shaking her head to cut through the fog that surrounded it, she bent down next to Hassan's body and ripped open the front of his shirt. "I'm sorry about this old friend," she murmured under her breath. The skin in the middle of his chest suddenly moved as if something was lurking underneath. Stabbing downwards with the knife, she speared the parasite.

There were several loud gasps from behind her. Checking over her shoulder, she found that the three guards and Catherine were on their knees, clutching their heads.

"What's wrong?" She questioned, rising to her feet and drawing the knife sideways from the middle of Hassan's chest.

"Didn't you hear that," Catherine asked, rising unsteadily to her feet. "It sounded like a harsh screeching noise."

Mimi frowned and stared down at the knife in her hand. There was a small oval shaped black substance stuck to the point of the knife. A few protrusions coming out of it looked almost like roots.

"What is that?" Catherine stretched out a hand to touch it but Mimi grabbed the hand, stopping her.

"Let's not take any risks we don't have to," she cautioned. "Send out your guards and have the scouts I took with me earlier today rounded up and taken into custody. Take every precaution you can. Apparently, they are incapable of feeling pain."

"You heard her." Catherine turned to face the three guards. "Take as many men as you can from the Embassy, however, leave two behind to guard the Ministers."

The guards nodded and left the room.

Sighing, Mimi sat down on the edge of her bed. Marshalling her powers once again, she concentrated on the black substance and tried to see if there was anything there that she could sense. Finding nothing, she broadened her search to encompass the whole room. It surprised her when she detected yet another life sign coming from the corpse. This time however, it did not retreat when she sought it out.

'Lady Tachikawa.' The voice that addressed her was almost too faint for her to pick up. 'Parasite... took over... too strong... infected... no cure...'

Mimi tried to hang onto the signal but it faded beyond her ability to call it back.

"Well?" Catherine asked sitting down beside her.

"We've got trouble," Mimi said softly looking at the dagger in her hand.

Catherine sighed. "So what else is new. Is it anything we can't handle?"

"I don't know. Hassan's digimon contacted me just now. It seems as if both were taken over by a parasite that neither could resist. As soon as you locate the rest of my scouts and we can ascertain whether they are infected, we should think about leaving this city. We may even have to destroy it completely."

"That seems a bit extreme."

"There are other concerns." Mimi rose to her feet, reforming her clothes around her once again. "Looks like I'm going to have to skip another nights sleep. Come along, I'll fill you in on what is going on."

* * *

**Next:** He was hailed by all as a hero but in this world, even hero's fail.


	9. Chapter Nine

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Digimon.

**A/N:** Hiya everybody, this is just to let you guys know that I'm still alive and yes, this fic is continuing. I had planned on making this a long chapter but I guess to make my updates more frequent, I'm going to have to go with shorter chapters. Anyway, we now will start the ball rolling towards the eventual conclusion of this fic and it begins here. Enjoy!

* * *

There was a faint trace of something coming from the distant north. She could not focus on it though. It was pretty frustrating and she was not in the mood for something like that at the moment. Especially after hearing from Iori that Takeru wanted it to look like he had never arrived in Sever. She had passed that task off to Iori but the fact was that any such cover up was a little too late given how publicly they had shown their affection for each other. She cringed, remembering that particular moment. It was a surprise anybody at the Citadel could look at her with a straight face after that debacle.

"Is something wrong," Willis questioned, concern filling his voice. "You seemed so far away right now."

Hikari blinked and felt her face redden. She turned away quickly so he could not get a good look at her. "It's nothing," she replied as authoritatively as she could. "I thought there was something but it must have been just my imagination." Rushing through half a dozen calming exercises, she managed to bring her colour down. "I think this will do for now. There was a faint trace of something coming from the north. Angemon."

The Angel Digimon, who had been standing statue like, stirred. "Yes?"

"I want you to investigate. It may well be nothing but we should probably be cautious as we can. Take anyone with you that you want."

Angemon unfurled his wings. "If it is all the same, I would rather go by myself." Without waiting for a reply, he flapped his wings and flew away.

"Just be careful," Hikari yelled at his back.

He gave a little wave and disappeared over the outpost's outer wall.

* * *

It was entirely too dusty out here. What she needed was something to drink. Preferably a latte. That brought up its own problems. She was not entirely sure how to go about making one. It was pretty ridiculous if one stopped to think about it. She had once created an entire functioning outpost by herself and yet when it came to something as simple as this, she had no clue.

Gods, it was hot out. She had not expected it to be this dusty. Then again, she had never blown up an entire city before either. In the far distance, tiny explosions still rippled through the city. She had ordered her troops to set explosives in all four quarters of the city. Many of those innocent but infected citizens would be dead now.

Sighing, Mimi glanced back at the crowd of men and women gathered safely behind a herd of her own soldiers. She looked away without meeting any of their gazes. Even she was unwilling to indulge in that much hypocrisy. The plain truth was she could do nothing for these people. For over two years, they had followed an ideal. In her opinion it was the wrong ideal but one did not hold that over someone's head when they had lost their home. Most of these people would have to choose a side in the war now but having been neutral so long, they would need to adapt. She was not entirely sure most of them could. Furthermore, they didn't need to stare at her with those blank accusatory looks.

She really did need that latte.

"Those stares getting to you too," Catherine murmured softly from beside her.

"Yeah," Mimi admitted. "It couldn't be helped though, could it? All of the scouts we rounded up had the same symptoms Hassan had. We couldn't risk further infection."

"Are you trying to convince me or yourself?"

"Trying for both of us, I suppose." Mimi turned to look at her companion. "How are you holding up? This was your home for the past two years."

Catherine shook her head. "Was it really? The past two years seem like a dream. I just wanted a quiet place after becoming involved in that whole Cathal affair. I told you she came to the city, didn't I?"

"Yes, that was a big part of why I ordered this city destroyed. Isuzu would not have left anything of any value to us. I am a bit surprised that you let her waltz into the city and didn't do anything about it."

"I promised him," Catherine replied simply.

"Not many people could have restrained themselves as well as you did."

"It was not easy. When are you going to contact the others?"

Mimi tilted her head back, rubbing the back of her neck. The quick change of topic had not escaped her attention. She was hardly one to criticize or offer counsel though. Everybody had his or her own demons to exorcize and in that respect, she had not quite found how to reconcile her past with her present either. No, Cat would have to make do by herself and she would have to find out just how much Takeru really know about her. Reflexively, she reached into the fold of her cloak and stroked the Coda necklace that Cat had given her just a day ago.

"We're supposed to begin in a few minutes," Mimi said in answer to Catherine's inquiry. "Get everybody moving when the scouts have come back with the final tally. I may not be entirely conscious so just bundle me aboard one of the vehicles."

Catherine nodded quietly and Mimi turned around and retreated to a tent that had been set up some distance away. Drawing back the flap, she stepped into the mostly bare tent. The only furnishing was a rug with a few pillows set atop it. Sinking down onto the pillows, she concentrated and sent her consciousness flitting through the thoughtscape.

The grey void of the thoughtscape gradually resolved itself into a plain grassy meadow when she reached the location they had all planned to meet at. Sora and Hikari were already there, waiting for her.

"Well," she said walking over to where they were sitting, "how are things out there?"

Both girls grimaced, sharing a glance. Sora began first.

"There have been some major attacks on my outposts. Seona was overrun and Miyako had to withdraw. She is holed up in one of the mid outposts right now. The bad news is that they've managed to contain her there. She is basically dug in and food isn't a concern but they could overwhelm her forces. However, she intends to give them a fight. I can't help her either until I see a pattern to these attacks."

Mimi nodded. "That is a concern Tai has as well. There don't seem to be any patterns to these attacks. What we are facing is all out chaos."

"Just like the old days," Hikari sighed. "Things are not quite so bad on my end. There has only been one attack and nothing since then. I talked to Jyou and he told me that his continent is under heavy attack as well. I could not get through to either Ken or Daisuke, which is disturbing. There seems to be some kind of interference."

"That is what we were discussing when you showed up," Sora chimed in. "I have tried to get through to them as well. It is strange but it feels like the continent is no longer there. Neither Hikari nor I can get a decent reading."

"You think they were the first targets," Mimi questioned.

"I'd say it's a fair possibility. Divide and conquer is one of the oldest strategies there is."

"What do you think," Mimi asked turning towards Hikari.

"Pretty much the same," Hikari replied. "We should send someone to check the situation out. I nominate Corwin."

"Careful, your claws are showing."

Hikari scowled at Mimi as Sora chuckled. The levity was short lived as the grimness of their situation made itself apparent. After a long silence, Hikari said, "How are you and Tai doing? What happened at Kroy?"

"Kroy should be completely demolished by the time we finish here. Tai is trying to discern a pattern to the attacks but has so far been unable to come up with anything concrete. There is one other thing though." Mimi raised her hand and concentrated until a single black object appeared in her palm. "This is what I encountered back in Kroy and a big part of why the city had to be destroyed. Recognize it, ladies?"

"Is that..." Hikari trailed off, here face suddenly very pale.

"A Black Spore," Sora finished grimly. "At least that is what it looks like."

Mimi nodded. "I recovered something very similar last night from the body of one of my scouts when he attacked me." The object in her hand suddenly shifted, morphing into a different shape. "It was not until later that I realized what this could be. It acts as a parasite, taking over its victims and making them act as it wants. I sent out scouts when I got to Kroy and these things infected nearly all of them. We spent last night tracking them all down and bringing them into our care. However, the parasite decided to kill itself rather then surrender and as a result, the hosts ended up dying as well."

"So, you are saying they have evolved the black spores?" Sora rubbed her eyes tiredly. "We definitely did not need this. Could you get them with a mental scan?"

Mimi nodded. "I could pick them up with a mental scan but it is a lot more difficult then it sounds. All the time I was scanning them, I had a faint sense of unease. The black spore itself was hard to track down too. I could sense it and yet it kept skirting the edge of my senses. Getting a hold on these things is pretty hard."

"You know what else this means, don't you?" Hikari slumped back on the ground. "We know who the spy is."

"Ken!" Sora nodded. "It makes sense. He is the only one of us that has been exposed to a Black Spore before and he would have information about the new landscape coordinates."

"So we are back to square one. How do we intervene?"

"We have no choice except to send someone in." Mimi crossed her arms. "However, I can't spare anyone. The past two days have been bloody enough for me."

Sighing, Hikari rose to her feet. "I may be able to send someone. I have not really tested him much but since we only need recon, he should be good enough for the job."

Mimi nodded. "All right, get it done then. I will inform Tai as to what we have decided."

Holding up her hand in a gesture of farewell, Hikari faded out of sight.

"I need to talk to you," Mimi said as soon as Hikari had left.

"What about," Sora asked slowly.

"I found this at Kroy." Mimi produced the Coda necklace Catherine had given her. "I think he knows about me."

Sora bit her bottom lip while eyeing the necklace. "You may be jumping to conclusions," she said finally. "Maybe he just used it because it was convenient for him."

"And if it wasn't?"

"I am sure he does not blame you for using him against the Coda after all this time. As for him knowing about your family, I will handle it if it comes up. Although, it is past time that you tell the others about that anyway.

"I know, it is just that... I need more time. Even Jyou doesn't know and I've slept with him."

"The longer you wait, the harder this will get and the more chance there is of the others reacting negatively." Sora reached out and touched Mimi's shoulder. "But, it is still your decision. I will keep your secret as long as I have to."

Mimi smiled wanly. "Thank you for understanding." She paused, seemingly trying to gather herself. "Wh... what about you and Yamato? I never got a chance to ask you how you are taking this?"

"I am fine." Seeing Mimi's unbelieving expression, she said, "It was hard seeing him again after I had finally managed to forget. Did you know that he came to me before he left our base. He wanted me to place some wards within his mind. Given that opportunity, I poked around in there a bit."

"You did what?" Mimi looked incredulously at her best friend. "That is against every single rule we have. You can't poke around in someone else's mind without permission. And especially when it is one of our own."

Sora rolled her eyes. "Don't tell me you have never done it."

"Well of course I have and Hikari has probably done it on occasion too. I'm just surprised that you would do it."

"I don't always stick to the rules. Besides, I was curious about him and if it upsets anybody, I can just say that I was being cautious. No matter what he says, his presence is a little suspect, especially now."

"All right," Mimi conceded. "So, what did you find?"

"He is not the same person I was in love with. There is so much of that Yamato missing from this new one. He is just bits and pieces, flashes of old memories. There is one purpose driving him and that was hidden from my probing."

"Did you get a sense that it was important?"

"Obviously, it would be. I did not sense anything overly deceitful though. Still, precautions are precautions and I left something in there in case we do need a contingency plan."

"That is pretty ruthless but in this case I agree. You didn't get a chance to see where he would be going, did you?"

Sora shook her head. "No, that was hidden from me." Her image suddenly flickered and she looked into the distance as if hearing something. "I've got to go Mimi, something has come up."

"I should be leaving too," Mimi said. We'll need to stay in contact more often though. We can not afford to let them get a foothold on even one of the continents."

"All right," Sora nodded. "Meet me back here tomorrow night. I will inform Hikari so she can meet us too."

"All right then, see you later." Mimi raised her hand in farewell and faded out of sight. A moment later Sora did the same.

* * *

The sound of waves roused Takeru from sleep. He lay still on the cot listening to the sound. It was as haunting as it had been all those years ago when he had first heard it. To think something so soothing could evoke such terror in his friends. Then again, considering where he was, it was strange that he found the noise so comforting. It was what had led him to prolong his stay here the last time. In the end though, he had not learned anything and his actions had caused the evil here to circumvent the wards placed upon it.

The aircraft shuddered suddenly and then went quiet. Takeru stood up slowly, watching the door outside his cell expectantly. A few moments later, it swung open and Isuzu entered, flanked by two huge men. At six, two, he was not a short man but both men dwarfed him. He half suspected they were biomerged.

"Truss him up a bit," Isuzu said to the two men, "but don't hurt him too badly."

Takeru sighed as both men entered his cell. Without any weapons and in a space this confined, his chances of fighting back were slim, especially if his suspicions about the men being biomerged proved true. There was little to do except accept the inevitable. And so, he closed his eyes as the first fist thudded into his stomach.

After they were done, he was dragged to his feet and paraded out of the room. They led him outside the ship where the cool air did much to clear his head.

"Isn't it spectacular," Isuzu said, gesturing all around. "We have updated the décor since the last time you were here."

"You managed to pull it out of the water." Takeru shrugged, looking around at the spires and turrets that composed the main Citadel. "I can't say that this is a definite improvement. When the other Chosen bring their war here you will be out in the open."

"Assuming they can find their way." Isuzu smiled. "By the way, if you are hoping for rescue by those Renegades you hid out with last time, I am sorry to say that they are all dead."

"You seem to know a lot about my activities. I never would have figured you for the blind, love struck woman you seem to have become."

"Oh, you are very good." Isuzu said with a laugh. She stepped close to him and patted the side of his face. "But I am not someone you can manipulate so easily." Turning to the two guards, she said, "Take him to the dungeon."

* * *

There were signs of battle. Of that much, he was certain. Swooping down from the sky, Angemon landed amidst a scene of carnage. The faint acidic scent of weapons fire still hung in the air. From the frequency of the scorch marks on the ground, he could tell that the five scouts had not gone down easily.

Exhaling softly, he began to explore the site. Most likely the scouting party was dead but he could at least bring back their bodies. Over the years he had learned that humans valued certain traditions. The human at the outpost would no doubt want to bury their friends.

A thorough search of the site only revealed only one body that was in any condition for travel. The other four were either too badly burned or had too many of their body parts missing. The people at the outpost would not want to see that.

Slinging the body over his shoulder, he took off.

* * *

There were four small encampments at the base of the Black Spire. One or two Digimon scouts routinely patrolled the mountains and surrounding areas at two-hour intervals while a few others tended a fire that was apparently not allowed to go out. At least that was what he had observed as the Digimon had added various flammable materials to ensure the fire's survival. The remaining forces protected the Spire.

It was not a large force by any means. At best he counted ten Digimon. They would pose no problem for someone like him. Yet, something held him back from acting. He sniffed the air tentatively but the only thing he picked up was the faint cloying stench of fire.

That settled it. His time to act was fast disappearing and he could not afford to sit and wait any longer. Dropping down to all fours, he abandoned his hiding position and started towards the Black Spire. The scouts spotted him and shouted warnings to the rest of the Digimon. He winced, knowing that he had made a mistake. If he had taken out the scouts first, he would have had a much easier time. Still, it did not really matter. He had enough power to destroy every single Digimon there ten times over.

Howling loudly, he tore into the five Digimon at the base of the Spire. Their resistance was minimal and he quickly dispatched all of them. Leaping back, he gathered his powers and fired a tremendous blast of energy at the base of the spire. It teetered a little and then fell over. He turned towards the other Digimon only to find that they were holding their positions.

'_Yamato Ishida.'_ The voice sounded inside his mind. _'We were wondering where you would resurface next.'_

'_And you are?' _Yamato inquired.

'Just a lowly telepath working for the other side. Unfortunately, I cannot allow you to destroy any of our other Spires.'

'_And how will you stop me?'_

'_I don't need to stop you. The only thing I need to do is delay you until the last of the Aal dies.'_

'_So, there are a few still left alive then. I better get to it in that case. Thank you for the enlightening conversation.'_

'Joke all you want but you won't find any of them.'

The presence in his mind vanished abruptly. Yamato was almost a little disappointed that the telepath had not tried anything. It would have given him a good chance to test out his mental defences Sora had prepared for him. A roar from one of the Dark Digimon alerted him to the fact that it was time to get back to work. Baring his fangs, he turned and started towards the fire.

* * *

He was told there had been an easing of tension among the citizens of the city when his ancestry had been made public. Now instead of fearing the invading group of Dark Digimon, there was a feeling of nonchalance among the citizens. It was all a little bit overwhelming. The hopes of the entire city were being placed on his shoulders and there was not a damned thing he could do except carry the weight.

Daisuke did not want this weight on his shoulders. It was the reason he had handed over command of the Chosen to Hikari. After the incident with Daemon, he did not ever want to be in a position where his choice would determine the fate of his friends.

Isis had not given him any choice in the matter. He had a feeling that he was just a pawn in a larger game she was playing against the Assembly. The leak of his information to the public was proof enough of that. It was a dangerous ploy because if he failed, she would go down with him. He really did not want to spend the rest of his life living under the sea.

And so, he found himself pacing restlessly in his quarters, waiting for Isis to come and escort him to where Veemon was being kept. Afterwards, he was supposed to lead a team of Elite Warriors out of the City in order to intercept the invaders.

A soft knocking sound sudden came from the door to his room. "May I come in?" A cheerful voice proclaimed seconds later.

"Yeah sure," Daisuke replied slowly.

The door slid open revealing a young man about his age. He carried a single tray in his hand. "I come bearing food," he said in the same cheerful voice.

Daisuke frowned at the contents of the tray. "If you can call this food."

The boy nodded understandingly. "I know what you mean. I prefer outside food like Hamburgers and Pizza to this vegetarian stuff myself. But what are you going to do? High-ranking people hoard the little good food we have."

"Some things are the same everywhere." Daisuke shook his head and took the tray from the boy. Surprisingly, he did not leave but rather stayed where he was. "Is there something else?"

"I could have snuck you out of the city if you had not accepted the responsibility of leading us against the invaders."

Calmly, Daisuke placed the tray on the edge of his bed. "Who are you," he questioned, appraising the boy anew.

"Just a person who shares a mutual acquaintance. They have increased security around you so I am afraid I can't do much to help you. One word of advice though, be wary of Praetor Isis. She is a tough, driven and ambitious woman. She will use you to get what she wants and even I don't know what her true intentions are."

Daisuke exhaled slowly and sat down on the edge of his bed. "I suspected as much. What can you do to help me?"

"So far, absolutely nothing. However, I will keep you informed. One piece of advice though, do not look at your future in the Hall of Ages. The hall is an abomination created long ago. It skews perspective and unless you truly study every panel, you will never know the damage your decisions might cause."

"Isis warned me of that as well. She said that the last person who looked at it caused the Great Catastrophe."

The boy nodded. "Yes he did. Given that you are his ancestor, I hope you learn from his mistakes."

"But I was told that Setsuna Monou was the cause of that event."

"Something had to cause him to betray his comrades." He glanced at the door as if hearing something. "Think over what I have said. I will be in touch." Before Daisuke could say anything, the boy slipped out of the room.

Daisuke sighed and absentmindedly put a morsel of food from the tray into his mouth. He had barely started to chew when the door suddenly swung open. Isis stepped inside the room and motioned for him to follow her. Before he could say anything she left the room. Frowning darkly, he got up and followed after her.

* * *

Hikari hummed quietly to herself as she examined the dead body. Angemon had returned with it as the sun had gone down. Even now, news of what had happened to the scouting party was circulating throughout the small outpost.

"Isn't it a bit morbid humming like that," Willis questioned from behind her.

"Do it enough and you get used to it," Hikari replied. "Besides, it helps take your mind off what you are doing. Jyou whistles when he does it and that is even more horrifying."

"Why is that?"

"Because Jyou can't carry a tune to save his life." Hikari suddenly held up her hand, motioning for silence. There was something that her mental probe had just grazed. Drawing as much of her power as she could physically handle, she laid her hands upon the corpse's chest and let it loose. Whatever was inside the dead body tried to escape her attention but using her full powers she grabbed onto it. It tried to escape but she used her powers to usurp its will and then delved further into its psyche. Slowly, images began to flood her mind. When it was all over, she used her powers to kill the parasite.

"Well?" Willis put his hand on her shoulder.

"It was much as we suspected," Hikari answered wearily. "They were trying to infiltrate us. Thank the Gods that Mimi warned me about this. Now, we are a lot better prepared. Get as many of your fighting men as you can muster. Tomorrow, we are going to visit one of your mountains."

Willis frowned. "What did you see?"

"A place in the mountains that they are using to gather their forces for one final assault. Our scouts happened upon their base and it cost them their lives. The force they are building is sizeable." Hikari rose to her feet, stretching as she did so. "I plan to surprise them."

"That sounds a bit risky. Are you really sure about this information?"

Hikari turned her gaze towards him. "What do you mean?"

"It just seems a little easy. We have to assume that they know Mimi would have contacted you. So, why pull the same stunt they tried in Kroy?"

"It could be that they did not think Mimi would contact us so soon. Communication over the thoughtscape takes a lot of effort. In fact, they may not know that she had survived their assassination attempt."

"I still have reservations but I suppose I can't stop you from going ahead with this." Sighing, Willis moved forward and laid a white cloth over the dead body. "My bigger concern at the moment is telling the people here about what happened to the scouts."

"I had not even thought of that," Hikari admitted ruefully. "If you want, I could say a few words."

Willis grinned. "Well this is a huge change from the Hikari I remember."

"It's Iori's fault," Hikari grumbled good-naturedly. "He is constantly nagging me to be more thoughtful when dealing with others."

"You were not always like that."

He regretted the words the moment they left his mouth. Hikari did not seem to mind though. "Really," was all she said.

Emboldened, Willis continued. "Yeah. When I first met you, you and Takeru went out of your way to help me. You were not so..." he trailed off trying to think of an adequate word.

"... cold." Hikari finished for him. "I suppose I was not back then. That girl... it seems a lifetime ago." She shook her head. "All of us have had so many things happen to us. We have all had to change and adapt."

Willis nodded. "True enough." Rising to his feet, he led Hikari out of the room. "So, what are you planning to do for the rest of the night? I should have enough people ready for an assault near dawn."

"I will give this base a once over with my powers. We should make sure that the Psimon don't exhaust themselves. After that, I've got something else that I want to do."

"Oh?" Willis glanced at her quizzically.

"It is nothing you need to worry about."

Willis frowned but did not pursue the issue. The pair walked in silence until they finally arrived at Hikari's quarters.

"Get some rest," Hikari said, opening the door to her room. "I will be pushing you and your people fairly hard tomorrow."

Willis raised his hand to his forehead in a mock salute. Rolling her eyes, Hikari closed the door on him. Turning around, she noted that both Angel Digimon were present in the small rooms assigned to her.

"Oh good," she said cheerfully, "you are both here. As soon as I am done bathing, we can begin."

* * *

The small cave was filled with the cloying stench of smoke. Yamato knelt next to two bodies lying still inside the small enclosing. After examining them, he rose to his feet with a sigh. The two were just another pair among the long line of corpses he had found.

'_This is not getting us anywhere.'_ Yamato thought inwardly. _'I can't even try to smell them out. The smoke is covering all scents.'_

'_Little we can do except keep on going,' _Garurumon responded. _'Hopefully they will contact us as we take down the next few spires.'_

'_That is going to be hard to do quickly, old friend. The last few battles were hardly easy and we don't have the element of surprise any longer. It's fortunate that Sora's power has been able to shield us from the telepath otherwise we would be in a great deal more trouble.'_

'Was it wise coming here alone? We can't take on an entire legion if they throw one at us.'

_This isle was created as a sanctuary for the Aal. I did not want any other outsiders to find out about it. Besides, the plan was to recruit the Aal that we rescued although I did not imagine that the damage would be this widespread so quickly. It makes me think that I should have foregone going after my Crest and meeting the others.'_

'_You should not dwell on that. If we had come here without the crest, I doubt we would have been much use to the Aal. Plus, Sora would have died otherwise. All we can do now is move forward and hope for the best.'_

Yamato was about to respond when suddenly the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. In one fluid motion he dove to the side. Twisting in midair, he came to rest on all fours, his eyes darting around. They finally came to rest on a figure standing near the entrance to the cave.

"I had not expected such a quick response to my summons," the figure said, flipping back the hood that swathed his face in shadows.

Yamato relaxed, noticing the small tusks that protruded from the top and bottom portions of the man's mouth. "You are one of the Aal?" Slowly rising to his feet, he transformed to his normal state.

The Aal nodded. "I am. My name is Kha'noth."

"I was sent by the Elders," Yamato replied, maintaining a neutral tone. "I do not know what you meant by a summons."

Kha'noth tilted his head, studying him anew. Yamato endured the scrutiny until suddenly the Aal staggered sideways. He immediately caught himself and leaned against the cave wall.

"Are you ok?" Yamato said, stepping forward cautiously. The Aal let him approach without issuing any warnings.

"I am still recovering," Kha'noth responded. "I need some energy." He pointed at Yamato's left hand. "Do you mind?"

Yamato shook his head and let the Aal take his hand. There was a small tingling sensation from his crest as Kha'noth laid his hand against it. After a long while in which nothing seemed to happen, Kha'noth stiffened and then relaxed. His lips moved briefly and then he slumped completely in Yamato's arms.

'_Well how is that for you,' _Yamato thought wryly. _'He's lost consciousness.'_

'_We should stay with him,' _Garurumon replied. _'Did you happen to hear what he whispered?'_

'_He said, thank you Tanya.' _Sensing some hesitation from Garurumon, Yamato said, _'Don't worry, I know everything.'_

'_The Elders told you?'_

'_Of course. After what I was asked to do, I demanded that they tell me everything. The thing that surprised me though was that you and the rest of the Digimon knew the truth of these things as well.'_

'_Then you should know why we could not reveal anything.'_

Yamato nodded to himself. _'I know the reasons and I don't fault you for any of them. But, what I have to do goes against Setsuna's plans. You and the others chose not to do anything the first time around.'_

'_Do you doubt me?'_

'_Not in a million years.' _Yamato chuckled humourlessly. _'The last generation of Chosen! It seems to be fate's cruel trick on us all.'_

There was silence again after that exchange and Yamato settled against the cave wall, waiting for the Aal to awaken.

* * *

"Daisuke," Veemon said excitedly.

Daisuke smiled at the Digimon, raising a hand in greeting. He looked at the rather spacious cell his partner was inside and asked, "How have they been treating you, buddy?"

"Not bad but I still wanted to get out of here."

"I'm working on that." Daisuke glanced behind himself. "Well, get him out of there."

The two guards, who had escorted him to the cell, hesitated. One of them finally stepped forward and said, "Praetor Isis informed us that you were to biomerge with the Digimon as soon as you saw him."

Daisuke frowned but then shrugged. "It makes little difference to me. You ready buddy?"

The small Digimon nodded and began to break up into small bits of data. Daisuke hurriedly kicked off his shoes as the data began to enter his body. After the transformation was finished, he looked down at the two guards and said, "Take me to the Assembly Hall."

And once again, Daisuke found himself standing in a dark room surrounded by robed and hooded figures. This time though he was bio-merged and felt a lot more confident then he had the first time.

"Praetor Isis has informed you of the situation?"

"She has. I am to lead a few of your warriors out to do battle with the Dark Ocean forces."

"Yes," one of the figures walked forward until Daisuke could make out his faint outline. "However you will be executing a plan that we have prepared."

In front of Daisuke, the darkness suddenly shifted. It reshaped itself into a large three-dimensional holographic display of the ocean outside. Through some trick of light, the council members around him seemed to disappear. He stared in wonder as the display suddenly zoomed into a small narrow passageway situated between two tall mountains.

"This passageway is one of the few entrances to the City. It is also the path the Digimon are taking. You will ambush them there. We will provide you with and outline that you must adhere to. Any deviation will result in removal of your authority."

Daisuke nodded. "I understand."

The holographic display shifted again showing a small group of Digimon.

"We have studied the enemy as they approach this site and we have determined a little of their overall structure. This one Digimon seems to be in charge."

The display zoomed inwards once more focusing on a Lady Devimon.

"A fairly mid level Digimon. You should not have any problem destroying her. The others will run, however, you cannot let any of them escape. Terminate as many as you can but one or two must be spared. We must learn how they knew of our existence."

"And afterwards, what happens to me?" Daisuke asked.

"That is still up for debate."

Sighing softly, Daisuke turned his attention back to the holographic display. The group of Digimon were not really a problem but the people assigned to him would probably end up a thorn in his side. There was also a question of his authority and how far it actually extended.

"They are deliberately handicapping you."

Daisuke shrugged and turned to face Isis. "I take it we are all alone then? It doesn't really matter. All that really concerns me is getting out of here and returning to the world above."

"That is a mistake. You belong here. All of us are your people."

"I am not Sho Shinjo." Daisuke said emphatically. "I have no wish to stay here and dance on your strings."

Isis met his gaze evenly. "You may not wish it but you will have to stay down here. By the time the Assembly finishes discussing this matter, you will have been with us for ten or more years. Use that time to your advantage."

"You want me to place my faith in you?"

"Who better? I have been as forthright with you as I am allowed."

"Is that so?" Daisuke shook his head. "You may be telling the truth but I believe you are intentionally keeping some things from me."

"What would I have to gain by doing that?"

Daisuke shrugged. "You tell me."

An uncomfortable silence hung between them until suddenly, Isis turned away. "Come along, I should introduce you to the men who will be accompanying you."

"Lead on," Daisuke said, motioning her forward.

* * *

Towelling her hair dry, Hikari sat down crosslegged on her bed. She patted the space across from her and motioned Angemon to sit down. He eyed her warily and then sat down far too gracefully for someone of his height.

"I want to know whether I can draw power directly from the Crest of Hope," Hikari said, getting straight to the point. "I tried a few experiments when it was in my custody but didn't get anywhere. I am hoping that something within the Crest changes when it is bonded to a person and who knows, you may even be able to feed the energy to me like Takeru can."

"That seems like a risky experiment. The Crests store an immense amount of power. One misstep could be disastrous."

"We have no choice," Hikari replied. "I need to know how much power is at my disposal at any point."

"All right," Angemon shrugged. "How do we begin?"

"Put your hand on my shoulder," Hikari said. After Angemon had done so, she continued, "Takeru and I have to be touching each other to share our power. As he draws upon his power, I can actually feel it build inside him. It almost feels as though he is an extension of me and I can take control of his power directly. The only downside is that I cannot use this power until it enters my body and is converted into light energy. Fortunately, I can draw upon it as fast as I want."

"So you want to see whether you can use me as a conduit?"

Hikari nodded. "You can begin drawing upon the Crest as soon as you're ready."

Angemon closed his eyes. After a moment, he questioned, "Can you feel anything?"

"Nothing yet," Hikari responded. "Draw upon as much energy as you can."

A few moments passed and then Angemon said, "I am reaching my limit now."

"I can't feel a thing." Hikari bit her lower lip, contemplating her next move. "Would you mind if I scanned the Crest through the thoughtscape? I may have to look through your mind as well to see just how this process works with you."

"Just don't look too deep," Angemon replied.

Taking that as a sign of consent, Hikari closed her eyes and sent her mind out over the thoughtscape. As the grey void surrounded her, she became aware of the energy being released by the Crest of Hope. Following the threads of energy, she discovered that they were coming from a tiny dimensional rift that existed within the Crest itself. It was not quite unlike the gateways that allowed travel within and outside the Digital World. However, unlike those gateways, her attempts to slip into the rift failed. Something on the other side seemed to be blocking her.

Her own Crest suddenly came alive. Surprised, she turned to investigate only to feel an invisible hand seize her astral form and drag it towards her body. All of her attempts to fight back proved to be futile. A moment before she entered her body, she realized that her own powers were being used against her. After that, there was nothing but a piercing white light as the rift within her Crest swallowed her.

- - - - - -

The sounds of birds chirping slowly filled her ears. Consciousness and Reason returned quickly and she rolled to her feet, instantly alert. The scenery that greeted her took her breath away.

Multi-hued flowers, set in straight rows, stretched as far as the eye could see. A stone statue of a dragon rose over her, a steady stream of water from its mouth filled the pond below. Further overhead, the sky was a brilliant blue and the sun shone brightly. A moment later she revised her initial assessment. The colours were too bright and vivid. It seemed as if someone had brought a painting to life. One thing she was sure of was that her surroundings were clearly a thought construct.

"Well," Hikari said loudly, "you got me here. Now show yourself."

"You are not what I was expecting." A quiet voice answered her.

Hikari turned around slowly and came face to face with a black haired, oriental woman. The best way to describe her was regal. She regarded Hikari coolly from behind grey, green eyes. Not one to back down, Hikari met and returned the gaze evenly.

"I sensed the soul of a dear old friend and I thought to see him once more. Instead, I found you."

"Who are you?"

The woman tilted her head sideways as if to regard her as an oddity. "My name is Miharu and I was the very first Avatar of Light."

* * *

Until next update everybody. Please review some more.


	10. Chapter Ten

A/N: Whoo, this was getting a little long so I trimmed the one chapter into two. This one stands alone by itself although be warned, it's a little graphic in terms of what happened in Chapter Four. I actually even surprised myself with what I wrote since I had not originally planned on taking it in this direction. BTW, at the end, I refer back to that cute little dialogue in Midnight Blossoms between four year old Takeru and Hikari.

I should have addressed this before but as concerns Hikari being out of character. There are factors to why she is the way she is. I've tried to explain some of them but one of the bigger factors is explained in this chapter. Like I said in one of my notes earlier, it's a hard balance trying to reveal what I should and what I should not. However, in terms of relationship, I wanted to write something where the female was dominant in all aspects. Emotionally, Physically and Sexually, Hikari will be the one that controls this relationship. If you are waiting for Takeru to seize the reins, I'm sad to say that it won't happen. He will have his say in some things, that's unavoidable given the character I've given him but total control will always belong to Hikari.

That said, enjoy…

* * *

He had been inside the damp, dark dungeon for so long that time had finally begun to lose meaning. It did not help that they had strung him to the wall and left him hanging by his wrists. His arms had lost all feeling long ago. The oddity was that they had done nothing else. He had fully expected to be tortured much worse then this and they had completely ignored him.

Some time later, as he mused over the next stage of his plan, the door to his cell opened and Isuzu stepped inside. The two men that had led him down here flanked her on both sides. She stared up at him inscrutably, taking care to stay out of the reach of his legs.

"You are doing a lot better then many others," she said after a while. "The despair usually chokes the resistance out of them."

"I didn't get the Crest of Hope for nothing."

"You can still joke? That is impressive." Isuzu frowned. "What is it about you that I have not been told yet? He wants you left alone but he won't tell me anything else. It is starting to feel like I'm back with the Guardians."

"Is that why you turned your back on them?"

"It was one reason," Isuzu muttered. "The old man only expected obedience from us. He would not tell us anything else. Since switching sides, I have learned so much about our world and what this conflict is truly about."

"You did it just for information? No grandiose plans of your own? Even Sumeragi was not that messed up."

Isuzu rolled her eyes. "You just don't give up, do you? Your childish attempts to bait me won't work. You don't know me anywhere near as well as you knew Aidan and Jonathan." She smiled suddenly. "By the way, speaking of Aidan, being as useless to us as he is now, I decided to offer him up as a sacrifice to our Master. Consider it a present. What he will go through is beyond anything you could ever have done to him."

"I can be pretty creative."

Isuzu chuckled. "I will give you that but trust me, where he is now is not a place even you could have taken him. But, that's not what I came here for. Hold his legs gentlemen."

The two men stepped forward and seized his legs. Withdrawing a small syringe from the folds of her robes, Isuzu stepped forward and rolled up the edge of his pants.

"Don't struggle," she said looking up at him. "I don't want to plunge this straight into your leg."

"Your concern for my well being is touching."

She frowned but gave him the injection with a fairly gentle touch.

"What did you give me?"

"A chemical agent. If you do escape, there is no place you could go where we would not be able to find you. It's a little precaution I thought up considering the ease with which you let yourself be captured."

Takeru frowned but otherwise remained quiet, already beginning to mull over this newest wrinkle into his plans. The chemical agent was probably a coloured dye that would show up on their sensors allowing them to pick him out of a crowd even if he had changed his appearance. However, it was also toxic and would end up either killing him or making him very sick. He was pretty sure it would be the latter since he did have recuperative powers. The only thing he could do in response was to use his power to push the agent to an area of his body where he could contain it until he found the means to get rid of it. That much strain was sure to exhaust him though and he knew Isuzu had counted on that. So now it was a race against time. Would he be able to hold out long enough for his rescuer to show up?

"You're going to fight it. I can see it in your face." Isuzu shook her head. "You never did learn prudence."

"Perhaps not but I'll bet that I can hold out just long enough."

"Long enough for what? You won't be leaving here unless I let you and I don't feel quite so fondly about you anymore."

"You don't really think this will hold me, do you?"

"I've taken other precautions."

"They won't work."

"Maybe, maybe not. I won't be around to find out. He is sending me to deal with Hikari Yagami. You are to be left here. He will come for you eventually."

Takeru's heart lurched at the mention of Hikari's name. Fortunately, he was able to keep up his bored façade.

"The mission should not take all that long actually," Isuzu continued. "I have already set a plan in motion and by the time I get to Sever, all I'll need to do is a little cleanup. We have pretty much won this war. Think that over while you're languishing here."

Takeru stayed silent and watched her leave his cell. Then, he methodically beat back the panic that had risen within him at the mention of Hikari's name. She had taken care of herself for over two years since this war had first begun. He needed to stop worrying about her and start worrying about himself. There was a very real chance that he would be unable to contain the chemical agent within his body and even if he succeeded, there was still the matter of cleansing it from his body.

He would jump off that bridge when he came to it. There were other matters of concern before him. Who had she meant when saying that someone would come for him? From her tone it could only be her master. But from what he understood, the Valeru had no physical presence. He would need a body, which meant...

Takeru sighed. All he could do now was wait.

* * *

"Can you show me the truth of this place?"

The question brought a frown to Miharu's face. "Are you sure that is something you want to experience? I can see from your eyes that you've pieced together some things but you know what they entail."

"This is the Realm of Light, isn't it?" Hikari looked around at the fake garden. "But you're shielding me from it. That is why you sealed away my powers."

"This place would tear apart a person who is not used to it. I have been here so long that I have become a part of it. If you are not strong enough..."

"I know," Hikari interrupted. "Do not underestimate me. I could hardly be this realm's Avatar if I could not handle it."

Miharu shrugged. "Let me know if it gets too much."

White Light blazed suddenly, eradicating the scenery surrounding them. To Hikari, it felt like somebody had thrown her right into the sun. All of her senses were being overwhelmed simultaneously. The energy within her own body rose up in response and she felt her skin heat up considerably.

"Do not feel bad. No one person has ever been able to survive this exposure. I will shield you from it."

"No," Hikari growled. "I am not beaten yet, I can still..." A pain filled spasm rocked her body, driving her to her knees.

"Foolish girl. Your pride will get you killed."

Gathering herself, Hikari pushed back hard. It did not make any difference. An ocean had surrounded her and the waves pulsed around, battering her from all sides. With a loud scream, she pushed herself to her feet. That only increased the pressure but she stiffened her knees and stayed on her feet. Then, with all her determination and will, she began to push back once again. For a long time she kept the energy around her at a stalemate and then she began to push it back. It battled her with every step back but she could feel it bending under her will. _Not quite unlike Takeru._ The thought brought a feral grin to her face.

"_FOOL!" _

The voice echoed all around her. She lost her focus for a brief second but it was long enough for the Light to overwhelm her. A jolt of pain ran through her body and she found herself on all fours spitting up blood. Desperation lending her strength, she pushed back again. There was a little give but her strength ran out before she could capitalize.

As the light consumed her, she screamed. However, this time the light energy inside her pushed its way out. She kept screaming as the light poured out until finally blissful oblivion enveloped her once more.

Her awareness returned slowly and she found herself drifting through a clear white void. Her body felt weightless, feather-light. There were no emotions either, only numbness and the inability to concentrate. Her thoughts kept dissolving before she could properly form them. Still, it was an odd type of peace.

The change happened gradually. Images began to appear before her. Pretty soon, they had surrounded her and she found herself unable to turn away. And then suddenly, she was living the images.

He had volunteered to go out into the forest to gather firewood. Across the campsite, Mimi gave her a thumbs up sign and motioned for her to follow him. Grabbing her backpack, she did just that.

A little way into the woods, she stopped to change outfits. The skirt she put on was skimpy enough to substitute in any number of cartoons and the new bra accentuated just the right bit. Mimi had been right about the outfit. She did not quite feel like an over muscled tomboy anymore.

Now it was time to net herself a boy.

She found him not far away from where she had stopped. For a moment, she stopped and observed him. He had really grown tall over the last year and now towered a good head above her. There were other changes too but she did not dwell over them. All she cared about now was a kiss. Then they could finally move past this stage they had been hemmed up in for quite some time. He should have been the one to make the first move and she had given him several hints but he had never acted upon them. She was used to him being a lot more perceptive about what she wanted. His hesitancy was understandable but it made the first move her responsibility again. The way it had nearly always been in their relationship. With that thought in her mind, she stepped towards him.

He turned around as she artfully stepped on a branch to alert him to her presence. Watching his eyes widen when he saw her brought a slight smirk to her face. This was a type of vindication for all the tomboy jokes she had been subjected to over the years.

She began to walk forward in that way that Mimi had taught her.

"Ah... Hi... Hika..." he gulped, his face flushed. His eyes flickered downwards before he caught himself and snapped them back up. If anything, his face seemed even redder then before. The urge to tease him was overpowering but she quashed it. This was not the time to indulge in childish games.

Stepping up to him, she put her hands on his chest, staring up at him. He looked down, their eyes locking together. Hooking her leg behind his, she gave him a little shove. He fell backwards, a look of surprise on his face. Before he could think to get back up, she quickly knelt down and straddled his waist. He held up both arms and she grabbed and pinned them beside his head.

"This is your own fault for taking so long," she growled in a harsher voice then she had intended. The sternness in her own voice surprised even her. There was a darkness that seemed to be trying to enshroud her. Working past it, she leaned down. If it was possible, his eyes grew even larger. Their lips were mere inches apart when suddenly:

"Hikari," her brother's voice rang through the woods.

"Damn," she hissed under breath. "This isn't over," she warned, getting off her childhood friend.

The scene shifted and suddenly she was someplace completely different.

She was struggling with a man and they were both nude. He was a lot bulkier then her but his hands were tied behind his back. That made him easy prey for her. She hooked her leg behind his and pushed him down to the floor. He tried to spring back up but her foot on his chest kept him in place.

"Stay," she commanded sternly.

He glared up at her, his eyes filled with barely restrained fury.

"Still some fight left. What can I do to smash this last bit of resistance?"

He tried to kick her but she easily avoided the blow. Shaking her head with amusement, she sat down on his chest.

"There are so many things I have done to you tonight but there is one thing left."

"I won't say it, not this time."

She smirked. "Getting you to say it the last ten times was enough. I'm amazed you still have so much defiance left. There is still one thing left though that I haven't tried."

The air shimmered, reforming around her body. He looked up at her, shock writ plainly on his face.

"No, no way in hell. This is where I draw the line."

"What makes you think you have any choice?"

He bucked furiously and managed to throw her off his chest. She scrambled to her feet quickly and watched as he slowly got up. She could have taken him any time but chose to wait for him instead. That simple action would send its own message and he was smart enough to interpret it.

He charged her.

_'Stupid fool of a man.'_

She met his charge head on. He tried to kick her but she nimbly avoided it and wrapped her arms around him in a bear hug. Grunting with strain, she managed to lift him a few inches off the ground and held him tightly. He struggled but she weathered that assault. This would not have been possible when they had first started but by now, she had worn him down so much that his strength was nearly gone.

She squeezed him tightly, driving her fists into the small of his back. Despite all this, he still continued to struggle. The strain of holding him up in the air was getting a little too much for her.

"Damn it," she hissed. "Just give up and I promise it won't be that bad."

He kicked her in the shin as a reply. That infuriated her beyond belief. With a loud grunt, she threw him to the floor. Jumping up, she dropped an elbow onto his upper back. He gasped loudly and tried to roll away but she granted him no respite. Curling a fist in his hair, she put her knee into his back and pulled back hard.

Despite the pain, he renewed his struggle. However, his strength quickly ran out and she felt his body go limp in her arms. Letting go of his head, she let him flop forward. He moaned softly, which actually did make her feel a little bad. She pushed all that aside though and got to business.

The scene shifted once again.

His body writhed under hers, his manhood sheathed inside her. They were both so close to the edge. She looked down at him and a dark thought suddenly gripped her. This was the last moment they would have together for a long while. She had done a lot to ensure that he returned to her but what if that was not enough? She could not bear it if he left her again. Maybe a permanent reminder would leave a more lasting impression. She climaxed at that moment and raising her hand she clawed at his chest in the same instant that he achieved orgasm.

The scene ended and she felt herself falling as if an invisible weight was pressing her downward. With an abrupt stop, her descent came to a halt and with it came pain. Groaning, she opened her eyes.

"Quite an interesting life you've led."

Hikari looked sideways and saw Miharu standing over her. A crystal ball rested in the palm of her hand. Inside the ball flashed images that she remembered reliving only moments before.

That her memories had been on public display in front of this woman should have angered her. However, she felt too drained to summon any type of emotion. Instead, she just stared up at the crystal ball, watching the images within.

"You, my dear, are a marvel. You shook this realm to its core and probably would have won the contest if I had not interfered. In all my years, I have never seen such inner strength. You seem to be the very embodiment of the Light. I never would have dreamed that he could achieve such perfection. To think, a man shrouded in such complete darkness could know the light so well. It seems ludicrous and yet, here you are, before my very eyes."

"Wha..." Hikari murmured, "What..."

"... Did I do to you? ... Am I talking about? I suppose you must have a ton of questions. Unfortunately, I was asked not to reveal too much." She looked down at the crystal ball in her hand again. "I can clarify a little of what you have been feeling lately though.

The power of Light is one of the oldest in existence, second only to the Dark. Unlike every other power though, it was neither born of necessity nor simply existed to fill a void. Light willed itself into existence and you should respect the savage fury such an endeavour requires. It courses through your blood after all. And that, my dear, lies at the heart of your problems. Think it over sometime."

Miharu raised her head suddenly. "That damned Angel. He's trying to break through again. Still as stubborn as he ever was." She looked down at Hikari again. "I will tell you one last thing because you are of my blood and that takes precedence over even some vows. The man you love is not the man you should love. It was never meant to be that way." Her eyes flickered away again and she sighed. "It's time for you to leave."

"Wait," Hikari groaned, trying to sit up. However, she blinked and in the next instant found herself face to face with Angemon. The sudden change in perspective as well as the wave of fatigue that hit caused her to slump forward. Angemon's arms slipped around her shoulders, holding her gently.

"Why do I always end up with more questions when I go looking for answers?" She mumbled into his shoulders.

He did not respond but his arms did tighten reassuringly around her. It reminded her of Takeru and how perceptive he was towards her moods sometimes.

"Are you okay?"

He was also like Takeru in that he did not know when to shut up and let a girl think. Sighing, she pushed away from him. A little comfort was okay but she could not let herself get caught up in the illusion. There were too many other things that needed her attention.

"I'm fine. How long was I out?"

"A little over half an hour," Angewoman replied, handing Hikari a glass of water. "Did you learn anything?"

"I learned plenty but none of it seems particularly useful." Downing the glass of water, Hikari absently studied the crest emblazoned on the back of her hand. "I met a woman. Her name was Miharu. Do you know that name?" She looked up at Angemon, trying to judge his reaction.

Angemon glanced behind her almost as if asking permission. "She should know this," Angewoman said.

"Miharu Sanada," Angemon said softly, "was the woman that first enslaved us. Before her, the nine of us that accompany the Chosen were just like others of our kind. Our relationship with the Chosen changed us into what we became."

"Enslaved?"

"The first Chosen were tools. They were men and women brought into a world at the edge of destruction. There was little in the way of compromise or gentleness in them. They were what the world required and in the end, they made a huge sacrifice so that newer generations of Chosen would have an easier time."

Hikari suddenly put together something that had been niggling away at the back of her mind. "They gave up their souls, didn't they? To let us draw upon our powers directly with their souls as the link in-between. It explains how she was able to use my powers against me. We were linked all that time."

"How much did she tell you?"

Hikari frowned at the Angel. "You know a lot more then you have told us," she shot a glance behind her, "both of you do." Before either of them could speak, she held up a hand. "You probably have your reasons and I will trust in them. However, don't hold out on us too long."

Neither Angel replied to that.

"All right then, you two can leave now. And close the light on the way out. I'm going to try and get some sleep. We've got a long day ahead of us tomorrow."

The two Angel's bowed and left the room.

* * *

It took a while for the Aal to awaken. WereGarurumon had left by then, saying that it made no sense for both of them to wait. He had been right, however, that left Yamato alone. With nothing better to do, he decided to explore his surroundings.

There was not that much to see.

As he moved further into the cave, he came upon an oddity. It was a painting of a man, carved into the cave wall. However, it was much more immaculate then he could have imagined any such work being. Or rather, he revised; it looked to have been flawless some time ago. A wide slash ran down diagonally across the figure in the painting. From that slash, cracks and fissures spread throughout the picture. The face of the subject was hardly even recognizable anymore. The only thing he could see was a shock of deep white that was probably supposed to be hair.

"Our Saviour," a voice rasped.

"I know," Yamato replied. "The great Setsuna Monou. Was this painting the source of his eternal life?"

"Yes." The Aal came forward. "We were the only ones that could do this for him. A painting to capture one's heart and mind and preserve it for the ages. Such a painting has the power to keep someone young forever. This one started to crumble twenty years ago when that slash first appeared."

"He was known for favouring the sword," Yamato muttered. Then turning around, he fixed the Aal with a steady gaze. "Kha'noth, wasn't it?"

The Aal bowed his head.

"Do you know of any other survivors?"

"Sadly, no. I had brief contact with another of my race but he died. For all I know, I may be the last one left."

"Fortunately, you're wrong," Were-Garurumon said, materializing out of the shadows. Both Aal and Man started at the sudden intrusion. "I have found a cave. There are a large group of Aal inside, about a hundred in all. We need to get there quickly and take care of the Spire in that area."

Yamato nodded, quickly stepping past Kha'noth. "We will talk about all this later," he shot over his shoulder as Were-Garurumon led him out of the cave.

* * *

From right to left their names were Leontes, Valerius, Murash, Vinaszh, Scortius and Cleander. From left to right, their names were...

Daisuke quietly repeated the names to himself over and over as the transport they were all in headed silently towards their destination. He, along with the six men, was confined in a small cargo room at the back of the transport. It had given him a chance to memorize all their names even if his original intent to socialize a bit had been ruined. The trouble was that the men seemed to hold him in awe. It made any attempt at a conversation awkward. So the best he could do was stare at them and run their names through his mind. All six of them sat opposite him staring back. It was a little ridiculous.

The transport shuddered suddenly and came to a halt. "We have reached the canyon," the soft tone of the pilot informed them over the speakers.

Daisuke quickly unfurled the map he had been given. "You all know your places." He waited for everybody to nod. "Good, get to them and hold for the signal. When it comes, be ready to move. Also, all of you will check in with me periodically. Make sure you don't miss your time frame."

All six men nodded solemnly. Daisuke rolled up the map and dismissed them. Getting off the transport presented a problem for him but it had also been accounted for. They had given him a mask that would allow him to breathe underwater. His body, toughened by biomerging, would allow him to survive the pressure.

All of this did not really prepare him for the sheer alien feel of the climate when he swam out of the transport's hangar. The world outside was completely dark. There was no light whatsoever. Thumbing the side of his helmet, he switched on a pair of headlights that provided him with enough illumination to at least see where he was going. Behind him, the transport turned around and retreated to a safer position. With a slight sigh, he began to head towards the location he had been given.

A short time later he found himself crouched inside a small cave etched into the wall of the canyon. There were similar structures located throughout the canyon and the other six had secreted themselves in them. Now all that they could do was wait.

With nothing to listen to but the soft beep of the radar and the voices of the other men as they reported in, Daisuke leaned back and closed his eyes. Rescue, it seemed, was unlikely to come. The Dark Ocean forces had probably picked up the signal he had sent out and had sent a company of Digimon to investigate.

A soft sound from outside the cave alerted him. He was halfway to his feet when a familiar voice said, "I come in peace."

Daisuke sat back down. "What are you doing here?"

"I thought I would join you out here." The same young man that had visited him earlier stepped inside the cave. "We can continue our discussion from before."

"In that case, I should know your name."

"I have had many names. You can call me Komatsu, Naotaka."

Daisuke frowned. "I don't recall your features being Japanese."

"Atlantis was well known for its advances in Genetics, which I suppose was part of the problem. Still, it's too late to do anything about that now. More to the point, I can change my features at will." Komatsu ran his hand over his face and when he had finished, his features had taken on a more oriental cast. "This is how I looked seven hundred years ago."

"Oh yes, you are all immortals. Isis mentioned something about that. Did you know my ancestor?"

"The Great Sho Shinjo. He was a little before my time. There is not anybody in the whole city that could give you a first hand account of him. The original population had all passed on before we were able to devise a suitable method that would ensure our existence."

"You must have read some accounts of him. Tell me what kind of man he was."

"The libraries in Atlantis are all filled with gushing adoration for the man. We had something of a Patriotic Renaissance a while back. History has little meaning in such things. In other words, Atlantis lacks any such meaningful accounts or if any such records exist, they are held exclusively by the upper echelon of our society."

"Then how would you know whether Isis told me the truth or not? You seemingly have no point of reference."

"That would be true if I had not been to Sanctuary. Their library is the biggest collection of preserved lore I have ever seen. I learned a lot that I would regularly have been clueless about. For instance, I bet Isuzu never told you that Atlantis was the one that created Sho Shinjo instead of the other way around."

"What?" Daisuke said in confusion.

"Remember what I said about the advances Atlantis made in Genetics. Sho was their ultimate creation. A human being that could tap into this world's Mana the same way that the Aal could."

"You just lost me."

"It's the same basic principle that is behind the creation of the Chosen. Their powers come from the material they were created from. The same basic principle applies to the children of a planet. A world capable of producing life also produces energy that the inhabitants can feed of. The Aal, who are the natural heirs of this world could tap into the energy of this planet. The Digimon or as we used to call them, Spirit Guardians, can as well. We human beings could not do this because we were outsiders."

"Ok, so what purpose did all this serve? Why create a human being that could tap into the power of this planet?"

Komatsu shrugged. "I have no idea. Probably just to see if they could or maybe a power grab. The world was an entirely different place back then. Did Isuzu even tell you that much?"

"She did. It seems unbelievable though. How could someone change the entire world? You would need unimaginable power to do that."

"Perhaps the question you should ask yourself is which one of the Chosen possesses the trait that is inherent in just about every living thing on the planet? After that, all you need is a conduit that will let you tap into the energies of this planet."

Daisuke thought for a moment and then his eyes widened as he realized what the man had been hinting towards. "Do you know what happened to Setsuna afterwards?" He asked, leaning forward.

"No one knows. My own theory is..."

The radar suddenly came alive and radio chatter from the other people on his team filled the small cave. "I understand," Daisuke spoke into his communicator. "Everybody hold your positions until they are in range. We will be entering radio silence from here on out. Stick to the plan the Council has provided. The lead Digimon is to be captured, is that clear?"

A chorus of voices reaffirmed what he had said and he turned off the communicator.

"It's time for me to leave," Komatsu said, getting to his feet. "I will stay in contact."

"Wait," Daisuke said quickly. "The first time we met you mentioned we had a mutual acquaintance. Who is it?"

"Figure it out," Komatsu tossed back over his shoulder as he swam out of the cave.

Daisuke was about to reply when the radar beeped loudly again. It was his signal that the invading party had entered ambush territory. Rising to his feet, he exited the cave as well. Surprisingly, his visitor was nowhere to be seen.

Another soft bleep from the radar took his mind off that thought and made him focus on the task at hand. He could see a source of brilliant light far above his own position. They certainly weren't trying to mask their presence. Kicking his feet, he started swimming towards them.

"I'm moving in," he spoke into his communicator. "Pick your targets and start firing."

He was halfway to his target when the first shot was fired. The Digimon party came to a halt, which allowed his men to pick easy shots. By the time he had reached them, only the lead Digimon was left. Surprisingly, he made no move to defend himself. Daisuke paused, studying him for a bit. The Digimon turned towards him and Daisuke's eyes widened as he saw the contraption around his neck. A quick look was all he got though because in the next instant, the Digimon exploded.

The suddenness of it startled him. One minute he was there and the next he was nothing but floating bits of data. There was no mistaking the device he had seen around its neck though. Why would the Undersea Master need a Dark Ring to control his own Digimon?

* * *

Takeru raised his head as much as he could as the door to his cell opened. His strength was very nearly gone. Keeping the virus at bay had pushed his power to its limits. Even if he escaped now, getting back to the Digital World was no longer a certainty.

"You don't look like you're doing too well."

Takeru regarded the small, squat Digimon standing before him. "You're late," he rasped. "I should dock your pay."

"Getting through the security around this place was not exactly easy. And nobody mentioned Asahina's involvement. I have half a mind to just leave you here but a job is a job." The Ninjamon stepped forward and cut him free.

Takeru slumped down to the floor. A moment later something clattered in front of him. He pocketed the Digivice and then leaned back against the cell wall.

"All the data you asked for is there. This concludes my job. I trust you can make it out on your own."

"Would you stay if I said I could not?"

"Who knows?"

"I don't beg."

"Still the same as always." The Digimon shrugged. "In that case you are on your own from here on. When you're captured, I hope you don't give me up too easily."

"Bastard," Takeru mumbled under his breath.

The Ninjamon merely smirked and then turned away. Takeru watched him leave and then struggled to his feet. A wave of dizziness hit him at the sudden movement. After it had passed, he made his way out of the cell. A man was lying on the floor outside, a gaping hole in his chest.

A quick search turned up a dagger. He ran it across his palm. Bluish, green blood flooded out of the wound and onto the floor. After the flow of blood had ceased, he cut the sleeve of the man's shirt and made a makeshift bandage for his wound. Healing it would only be a waste of his already diminished power.

Pocketing the dagger, Takeru began to stumble down the hall. The sound of the Dark Ocean echoed all around him and it only got louder with every step he took. Gradually he noticed that his vision had begun to blur. He could no longer clearly see in front of him. He swiftly shook his head to clear it and suddenly found himself in a hauntingly familiar setting.

The beach looked the same as it had the day he had stormed it to save Hikari. Even the vacant light tower was still there, shining its light into the endless ocean. He looked around in confusion and saw a man sitting some distance away. He was seated on a stool and had a canvass in front of him on which he appeared to be painting something. As he approached, the man turned to face him.

"You just can't seem to keep yourself out of trouble, can you?"

"I know you, don't I?" Takeru replied.

The man nodded, his white hair shimmering in the pale light. "That was some time ago."

"Who are you?"

"Just a humble painter." The man turned back towards the canvass. "She's a beautiful woman, isn't she?"

Takeru looked at the painting. It was of a young, oriental woman around his age. Her hair was the deepest shade of black he had ever seen. Of course, that could just be the man's choice of paint. The best quality of the painting was probably the small mischievous smile that adorned the woman's face. It gave the painting a life like quality.

"I've spent a lot of time on this and I think I've managed to capture just a little of her spirit."

"I... How did I get here?" There was a surreal element to the whole thing, which made him hesitate.

"You will never escape as you are now. Look there." The man pointed towards the ocean.

Takeru blinked as his vision blurred again. When it refocused, he found himself high in the air looking down at the Undersea City.

"Do you see the smoke?"

Takeru nodded. The pillar of smoke rising above the main Citadel practically dominated the scenery.

"The master of this realm will soon have a physical body. When that happens, your chances of escape will disappear. He will know exactly where you are."

"Why are you telling me all this?"

"For the moment our fates are tied together. I can help you escape but you must surrender completely to me."

"And if I don't?"

"Don't be a fool boy." The man's voice grew harsher. "You have lost a lot of blood. As capable as you are, you will never escape on your own."

"Yeah well, thanks but no thanks. I will take my chances."

"I thought it might come to this." The man said, his tone grim.

Takeru leapt back, preparing himself for anything. What he didn't expect was the man to snap his fingers. The sound reverberated in his ears, growing louder and louder until it drowned out even the waves of the ocean. He stumbled backwards, holding his head.

"I can make use of the power the Elders gave you." The man stepped forward and touched Takeru's forehead.

The ocean suddenly began to flood. Waves of water quickly surrounded them, rising higher and higher. Takeru held out for as long as he could but the cold water as well as the sound drumming in his ears overwhelmed him. The last thing he saw as the water swallowed him was the blurry image of the white haired man. He knew it from a long time ago when he had gone to the park with Yamato. It was there that he had first met Hikari and this man had been the one who had told him about her.

* * *

Until Next time everybody and thanks for the support. 


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon**

**A/N: Hi there, I created a forum. Visit my author's page and click on the appropriate link. If you have any concerns or suggestions about ****the story, you can let me know there. Or just leave a review. Whatever works.**

* * *

Dark Rings had been created by Ken back when he had been the self proclaimed Digimon Emperor. Their purpose had been the enslavement of Digimon. The rings were a perfect form of control and could even be used to forcefully cause a Digivolution. However, in all the time he had spent fighting the Dark Ocean's Digimon army, he had never once encountered a Digimon that had to be controlled.

So why then had there been Dark Rings affixed to those particular Digimon?

Daisuke stroked his chin, staring down at a familiar spot on the floor of the small transport. The obvious answer was that they were being controlled. But by whom and for what purpose? What he knew was that Atlantis was isolated from the rest of the Digital World. Its technology was also clearly a lot more advanced then anything he and the rest of the Chosen had at their disposal. So, it wasn't out of the question that someone inside the city had pulled this off. It might even have been Isuzu. But then, why send him out?

There was one other factor to ponder as well. He had sent a mental signal that should have brought the other Chosen to his rescue. When he had heard about the invading Digimon, he had thought they had located his signal first. However, if that was not what had happened then why hadn't the other Chosen shown up yet. What was going on in the world above? The only info he had was what he had been told by the Council at that first meeting.

Sighing, Daisuke leaned back and closed his eyes. There were too many questions and not enough answers. For now, he had no choice but to drift with the current.

* * *

Hikari opened her eyes and rolled over onto her back. Slowly, she raised her arm and stared at her hand. Something seemed different. Closing her eyes, she tapped into her power and drew as much as she could. Her eyes widened when she quickly reached and surpassed her limit. A few seconds after that, she had drawn more power then Mimi and Sora combined. Minutes after that, she had surpassed even the theoretical limits Gennai had set for her.

With no end in sight as to how much power she could draw, she decided to enter the thoughtscape. The room around her disappeared but what really surprised her was the sudden assault of voices. They were all around her, a terrible cacophony of sound. Using her powers she toned them down. A little more investigation revealed that what she had been hearing had been the thoughts of the other people nearby. She had never been able to hear so many before and even listening to just one had required concentration.

Floating off her bed, she drifted through the thoughtscape. After seconds of searching, she found Angewomon and dove into her mind.

"_Is everything ready?'_

There was a feeling of surprise and then, _'Yes, they are all waiting in the courtyard for you. Quite a sizeable force.'_

'_I expected as much. Tell Willis to dismiss most of them. I will only be taking fifteen of them with me.'_

'_There are over fifty humans and digimon.'_

'_I know the numbers. Just relay my orders.'_

"_But..."_

"_Trust me on this and send Angemon to me. I have a task for him."_

Hikari terminated the connection between herself and Angewomon and released all the unused power she had been holding. It was clear that the scope of her powers had grown somehow. It probably had something to do with her misadventures last night. There were some interesting possibilities to explore and she did not even need the Crest of Hope anymore.

Rolling out of bed she spent the next half hour on morning exercises. She had neglected them ever since Takeru had come back. Their bedroom activities usually made up for it though.

After taking a quick shower and brushing her teeth, she was ready to face the world. Angemon was waiting for her outside her room.

"You wanted to see me."

Hikari nodded. "I need you to do something for me."

After Angemon had left, Hikari continued towards the courtyard by herself. As per her orders there were only fifteen people left when she arrived. Willis hurried to her side as soon as she entered.

"Why are we only taking fifteen troops with us?"

"You aren't coming with us. I will be going alone."

"What? You're joking, right? You need me there."

Hikari regarded him coolly. "Will your people follow my orders?"

"Yes, of course they will. But..."

"That is all I require. You will stay here and look after this base. Understood?"

"No! Why are you doing this? It's suicide to go out there with so few people."

"All I require from you is your obedience. This is an order and you had better comply or I will have you replaced." Hikari shouldered her way past him and surveyed the small group gathered in the courtyard. She stood there for a little while until suddenly a pair of wings embraced her from behind. "You're late," she whispered.

"He only just walked away. You were pretty harsh."

"I have my reasons. Let's biomerge. I would rather explain this in private."

"As you wish."

The biomerge process lasted only a few seconds but it left her invigorated. Clapping her hands together, she got the attention of the people in the courtyard.

"You have all been told about the situation we face, you all know what to do and you all know the consequences if we fail." She looked around, studying every face. "If you want to back out, now is the time."

Not one person stepped back.

"Good, let's go."

Twin wings sprouted from her back and she took to the air.

* * *

There was something electric, a sense of urgency in the air. Daisuke could feel it in his bones. Then again, it probably had a lot to do with the dozen or so guards that were ushering him to some unknown destination. They had swarmed him within moments of leaving the transport. All his questions had either fallen on deaf ears or been politely diverted. He had not even been allowed to de-merge from Veemon, which actually made the protection pointless. He was a full head taller then the tallest guard and he likely possessed more power then all of them combined.

Abruptly, there was a change in the demeanor of the men around him. They seemed to relax just a little. It was then that he realized they had reached their destination. The lead guard motioned for him to step through as he opened a pair of doors. Shrugging his shoulders, Daisuke entered the room. The doors were closed behind him.

"How did the mission go?"

Daisuke regarded the lone occupant of the room with a cool gaze. "Did you have me escorted here just to ask me that?"

"No, that was a precaution. The council underestimated our attackers. What happened at the canyon was merely a diversion. Another group managed to sneak inside the city somehow and they attacked the council while it was in session. They managed to kill all of the Council members before we could do anything."

"What?" Daisuke took a small step back before catching himself. "How could this have..." He focused on the woman standing in front of him. "What part did you play in all this?"

"The fools on the council would have kept you down here for decades. I had them removed." Isis glided forward gracefully and then knelt at his feet. "Everything I have done has been in honor of your lineage."

Daisuke knelt down, grabbed the woman by her shoulders, taking care so that his claw like hands did not puncture her skin and hauled her to her feet. "How could you ever think I would want something like this? So many deaths laid at my feet. All I wanted was to get back to my friends and my responsibilities."

"And I have made that possible."

Daisuke let go of her as the terrible truth of those words cut through to his very soul. He had asked for this. His impotent anger could not change that. That very anger made him nothing more then a hypocrite.

"What happens now?" He questioned slowly.

Isis shrugged. "What usually happens when there is a power vacuum. Some people will scramble to grab as much power as they can and other people will die. The city may fall into chaos before order can be asserted."

"So, I have just traded one pair of shackles for another. How can I leave knowing this?"

"There is a way. The truth of your lineage is now public knowledge. If you choose to ascend to the top of our society, no one will stop you. And then, you can appoint someone to take your place."

"And I suppose you would recommend yourself?"

"You could do a lot worse."

"Was that your plan all along; to grab as much power as you could? What if I were to choose someone else?"

"This was never about power. It was about destiny. Yours. You may leave whoever you want in-charge of this city but I want you to return to us after you have put your affairs in order."

"I..." Daisuke sighed and bowed his head. "I will do as you say."

Isis smiled. "You will not regret this, my lord. Come, we have a lot to do."

* * *

She floated through the air on the gossamer strands that connected all the minds arrayed against her. They were unaware of her presence though and so she flitted between them and watched. Her soldiers had all been rounded up and were now huddled together in a circle, a vast army surrounding them. She watched as a small portion broke off from the main mass and headed towards her tent. It was time to begin the show. She exited the thoughtscape and entered her own body.

Running a hand through her hair, Hikari stood up. Picking up her jacket, she swung it on and walked out of her tent. Overhead, the sun was in the final stages of relinquishing its hold on the day, lighting the sky up in an orange hue. She was met with the group she had seen approaching her tent. There were four digimon, two biomerged and a human woman. Hikari slowly raised her hand as the six soldier all pointed weapons in her direction. The woman stepped forward.

"To be honest, I was expecting more of a battle."

Hikari shrugged. "Sorry to disappoint but I did not come here to fight."

"Oh really? You realize we are sworn enemies by virtue of our positions."

"But that does not mean we cannot have a civilized conversation. Within acceptable levels of course."

The woman chuckled in amusement. "Within acceptable levels. I have to admit that my curiosity is piqued at this unexpected development. What then shall we discuss?"

"How about an introduction? I do not even know your name."

"Asahina, Isuzu." The woman replied with a slight nod.

"Such a high ranking member. I am honored."

"As am I. Your exploits have caused us quite a bit of trouble."

"What can I say, it is all part of the job. That is also why I am here. You see, I am co-leader of the Chosen and as such have certain responsibilities. Among the members I am responsible for is an idiotic buffoon of a man who almost always does things so recklessly. For example, we send him on a mission, give him an abundant supply of resources and the minute our back is turned, he goes off an does things his own way."

"You mean Takeru."

The level of familiarity with which the woman said the name surprised Hikari. She covered it by bowing her head.

"Ah yes, I had heard you two were involved. One of our other commanders was obsessed with making clones of Takeru and sending them to your Citadel. Such an obvious and abhorrent method. As I remember, you drove that sword at your hip right through his head."

Hikari kept her expression neutral. "What have you done to Takeru?"

"Last time I saw him, he was in our dungeon. Defiant 'till the end. The wards you people put in his mind were not a mercy. Now we will have to torture the information out of him."

"Oh really," Hikari drawled. "So tell me, what can I offer you to ensure his safe return?"

"What could you possibly have to offer me?"

Hikari smiled chillingly. "I could give you back your life."

Isuzu's eyes narrowed and she quickly checked the surrounding area. Her army was still there and the enemies were still under guard. On the surface, nothing had changed and yet, the woman was too sure of herself. She was talking as if her will had not been subverted. Isuzu began to reach for her Digivice. Something was wrong and her intuition, which had rarely failed her in the past, was screaming at her to get out while she could. Her hand stopped by itself just short of her Digivice.

"Tsk, tsk," Hikari wagged her finger. "Don't run; you'll miss all the festivities."

Isuzu tried to reply and found herself unable to open her mouth.

"The fifty or so psychic Digimon you brought were a good precaution. Just yesterday, they probably would have been enough but today, they do not come close to testing even half of my power." Her eyes suddenly blazed with a brilliant white light. "Willis, give the order."

Isuzu found herself frozen as the sounds of a battle suddenly raged all around her. From what she could hear, there was complete chaos among her forces. And then, just as suddenly as the sounds had begun, they stopped. She made a muffled sound, hoping to get Hikari's attention and was rewarded as the woman tilted her head sideways.

"Oh, what's that? You want to say something?"

Isuzu felt the bonds over her body loosen a bit and immediately cried out, "Code F Griffon." Her Digivice turned on automatically and a portal surrounded her. She felt the psychic bond dissipate a little and immediately moved further back into the portal until she was on the other side.

The sound of waves crashing on a shore greeted her as she stepped into the Dark Ocean. What she had not prepared for was the massive destruction that surrounded her. The sand underneath her feet was covered with scorch marks. Further in the distance, the lighthouse that had stood vigil ever since she had first come to this realm was completely gone. The only sign that it had ever existed was a small stone foundation. Her gaze was drawn immediately to the City and she saw that it bore scars as well. Most of the spires that made up the main keep were no longer there.

"He put up a rather impressive fight."

Isuzu whirled around and came face to face with Aidan Black, or rather, what remained of his body. His face was nearly destroyed. Strips of skin hanging here and there. His right cheekbone was caved in and his eye on that side tilted obscenely to one side as if studying something else. His clothes bore various burn marks and a thick, sickly sweet stench filled the air in turn signifying that his flesh had burned as well.

Finally remembering decorum, Isuzu sank to her knees and bowed her head. "Master, what happened here?"

The corpse shambled forth and walked past her. Isuzu rose to her feet in his wake.

"The guest you brought us did this. I had not believed he could still hold such power. An oversight on my part and I will rectify it when next we meet. It seems to me that you ran into much the same problem. The woman tried to pursue you through the gate but I stopped her. Would you like a chance to rectify your error?"

"You are offering me redemption."

"Yes, but it will not be easy. This Avatar of Light is unnaturally strong. She may be an equal to myself." A short barking sound which Isuzu took to be laughter came from the corpse. "It means that the Council has finally deemed my presence too much of an annoyance. She is to be the instrument of my destruction. So, I will strike first."

"And you would like me to lead?"

"You are an able commander. Learn from your mistakes and better them. If you succeed, I will grant your one wish. You alone will know the true history of all things. Beyond even what information the Guardians possess."

Isuzu bowed her head. "I accept."

"Good, here then is your first reward." The corpse touched his hand to her head and she felt her master's mind open to her. It was the same as the first time she had done this. An overwhelming sentient presence that was far older then even the planet she was standing on. Random images swirling around in complete chaos and yet there was a certain beauty to the randomness. She dipped as deep into that fount of knowledge as she could and knew that it was not enough. She was too limited as she was. Her head started to throb as if echoing her sentiments. She held on as long as she could before blessed oblivion took her away.

* * *

Hikari stared with a frown at where the portal had sprang open just moments ago. She had made a very stupid mistake loosening her control over the other woman. What was worse was that she had been unable to pursue the woman through the portal. Something on the other side had completely blocked her psychic probes. Something with a whole lot of power which meant that the portal likely lead to the Dark Ocean.

She had gotten overconfident. The one flaw in her personality she could never completely overcome. It was because of her powers, which had always been among the strongest in both teams of the Chosen. With all the power at her disposal now she was the strongest member of the Chosen. Who would not be overconfident with such deadly potency at their command? And yet, that same overconfidence had led to her downfall once again. Just like it had when she had sparred with Takeru.

Hikari shook her head ruefully as Willis approached. "She escaped."

Willis nodded. "I saw. Don't blame yourself. Holding onto all of these Digimon must have put quite a strain on your powers."

"It didn't."

Willis snorted. "No one is that powerful. Come on, you can trust me to keep your secrets. How did you trick them? I thought you were going mad when Angemon explained your plan."

"I didn't use any tricks. Just raw power." Hikari sighed, massaging the back of her neck. "Get everybody together. We're heading back to the outpost. No telling when and how they'll respond to tonight's events."

Willis stared after her as she walked away then shrugged and turned back to the troops. Some people just needed to be alone for a while and solitude was a language he understood far too well. Still, that didn't mean she could not confide in him. Taking down an army of this size with just raw power. She was probably joking.

He hoped she was joking.

* * *

One Hundred and Fifty Nine!

It was a small number for a race that had once ruled this planet. Looking around Yamato could not help but feel pity. After two days of continuous searching and fighting, he had given up on finding any more Aal. There was only one Spire left now and even its destruction would not bring the number of Aal up significantly. Asking them to participate in the war now would be cruel.

_Ah well, Yama, you'll burn that bridge when you come to it._

Grimacing at the thought, he turned his attention to the last Spire. There was little doubt that the telepath that had contacted him earlier was holed up inside. Furthermore, some of the Digimon that had escaped him at the previous three Spires had retreated to this one to bolster its defense. He had a long hard fight ahead of him.

He was still studying the surrounding area around the spire when the sound of an explosion drew his eyes skyward. The top of the Spire was no longer there. A second later, dozens of tiny explosions rippled through the length of the Spire. They were followed by a gigantic blast that completely obliterated everything within a five-kilometer radius of the tower.

A small shadow hurled free of the rising plume of fire and fell to the ground with an awkward thud. By that time, Yamato had already begun to move and was headed towards the object. As he got closer, he realized that the object had been a human body. It was terribly burned, little more then a steaming husk. Astonishingly, the eyes opened and fixed upon Yamato. It thrust his arm up and Yamato saw that it had a D3 in its hand.

"Hi… Kar..." and then its arm dropped back to the ground.

"Hi Kar?" Yamato muttered, kneeling down. His eyes widened a second later as a yellow aura spread over the corpse. He knew its signature and that told him the identity of the person. He took the D3 from Takeru's hand. "Give this to Hikari, eh? I hope all this was worth it, little brother."

Forming a blanket out of thin air, he wrapped up Takeru's body and slung it over his shoulder. With the last Spire destroyed and the Digimon surrounding it gone, he would let the Aal take up the search for their brethren. It would give him time to think on how to ask them for their help. He also needed to think on his brother's arrival here. It put him in an awkward situation. Killing him now was beyond easy but he could not do that before the end of the final battle.

"You just had to go and complicate things, didn't you?" He muttered to his brother before setting out towards his base camp.

* * *

Until Next time.

Please Review.


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.**

**A/N**: The timeline for this chapter is a little bit involved. I've made little notes here and there but most of the details exist in the chapters themselves. Good luck!

* * *

He could hear them as he fell into and out of consciousness. The voices skirted the edges of his hearing, nearly indecipherable, but every now and then he could make out a word or two. Opening his eyes to see took too much effort and he was simply content to lie still and let himself be healed. The Aal had joined their powers with his in order to speed up the process. 

He had been brought to the old cave where he had taken his first steps towards immortality. There were still hints of his power here even after twenty years had passed. A picture to capture his soul and then a simple slash from his sword to destroy that picture centuries later so he could make use of that soul. All of it done to serve one simple purpose.

'_Oh Hakuto, would you pity me if you saw me now.'_

* * *

The first one to learn of the invading army's approach was Hikari. There was nothing tangible that alerted her. It was only a sense of unease, which grew steadily with each breath. Finally, unable to bear it, she awakened her powers and went searching for the source of her malady. What she found was an alien presence that defied her powers completely. Despite her best efforts, she could not penetrate its defenses. Furthermore, it soon became clear that this presence was heading straight towards her. It was not long after that when a lookout spotted smoke on the horizon. From its frequency, it was surmised that an army was accompanying the presence. And so on a cold, gray day, she stood atop the Outpost's defensive wall to greet whoever was out there. Behind her stood the two angel Digimon, Willis and a whole entourage of humans and Digimon. 

"Can we hold them off?" Willis asked as the size of the force arrayed against them became apparent.

Hikari surveyed the army that was setting up camp outside the outpost and said, "I am not sure whether we will need to but prepare and evacuation plan just in case."

"You don't think they will attack?"

"Nothing about this fits their pattern. Generally, the Dark Ocean armies utilize surprise to their advantage and strike quickly. However, this time they did everything to make sure we knew they were coming. Also, they seem to be setting up camp."

"So we wait for the next move?"

"Can't say that I'm not curious."

Willis grunted then turned and began issuing orders to his commanding officers. Meanwhile Hikari continued to survey the army arrayed against them. Sudden movement at the army's main encampment caught her attention. It seemed like they were using the matter manipulation technique to construct what looked like a giant microscope. She was still staring at it when it fired a beam of light in her direction. Hikari considered using her shield and then rejected the idea. The light was aimed at the section of the wall next to her own. It would miss her completely.

The beam of light suddenly expanded and then Isuzu Asahina was standing beside her. There were shouts of alarm from the troops but she raised a hand to quiet them. This was nothing more then a simple communication although the manner in which it was executed was interesting. But considering the woman's eyes were fixed on her chest and not on her face proved there were still problems with the technology.

"Impressive," Hikari said, passing her hand through the other woman's head. "I wonder though, can you hear me?"

"Of course, but try not to disrupt the light again. It carries your voice back to us."

Hikari shrugged. "I wondered when you would return. A woman with your reputation could never stomach a defeat."

"How astute of you. But that was only part of the reason. It occurred to me that perhaps you might want to know more about Takeru."

Hikari's eyes narrowed as another image appeared behind Isuzu. It was Takeru, on his knees with his head bowed. His hands were stretched out to either side as if something was holding him. Isuzu grabbed a fistful of his hair and yanked his head up. Hikari clenched her hands when she saw what had been done to him. His eyes were glazed over as if he had been drugged but the more horrifying detail was the numerous knife scars that crisscrossed his face.

"Like I said before, defiant 'till the end."

There was blood trickling down her hands. She had clenched her fists so hard that her fingernails had broken the skin of her palms. A detail she noticed detachedly. In truth, everything had become numb, the world shrinking down until the only two people left were the man on his knees and her standing over him.

A sudden gust of wind snapped her out of her daze. She looked skyward and saw Angemon take off towards the army's main encampment. With a sigh, she stepped into his mind and forced him to come back. He fought her all the way and she saw that he was suffering as much as her. There was so much sorrow, anger and guilt that it threatened to devour her. Unable to bare it, she knocked him unconscious.

"Take him away. Get that Crest off him if you can. I think the Inhibitors should be able to keep him under control even with the Crest."

"Hikari." Angewomon touched her shoulder gently.

"I'm fine," she replied. "We cannot act hastily and I won't allow it."

A soft chuckle from Isuzu. "You really are as cold as they say. Probably the reason why he came onto me in Kroy. That surprised me, to tell you the truth. Remind me to send you the video feed from our cameras one of these days."

Hikari just stared at the hologram, not trusting herself to speak. The silence dragged on for a bit and then Isuzu shrugged. "Nothing more to say? Well then, let me talk. You can end his suffering by handing over this base and entrusting yourself into our custody. If you don't, tomorrow you will wake up to his screams."

"We are done here," Hikari said as she turned away. "I would rather destroy this base then let you get your hands on it."

Isuzu smiled chillingly. "Let the games begin."

* * *

"Hi Yama." 

"Hello Yama."

"Yamato"

"Yamato"

"Yama."

The same woman saying his name over and over again. The flashes of memory he sometimes had were always like this. Perhaps his own subconscious trying its best to piece together his tattered past. There was no mystery to this memory though. He knew full well who this was and considering her involvement with someone else, it made some of his memories wildly inappropriate.

"Yamato?"

He opened his eyes to find Weregarurumon standing over him.

"Are they done?"

The Digimon nodded. "They are requesting your presence."

Yamato sighed and rose to his feet. "Let's get this over with." He walked past Weregarurumon and entered the cave. Inside was a bonfire, the smoke dissolving into particles of data before it could pollute the air. Around the fire were huddled the five members who spoke for the Aal now. The remaining Aal were lined all around the walls of the cave. "Have you come to a decision?" Yamato questioned, walking up to the five leaders.

"We have and the response is unanimous. We will assist you in your fight with the Dark Ocean."

Yamato blinked in surprise. "That was easier then I thought. I had been led to believe that you would require a certain amount of enticement."

"Take a look around avatar. Everybody here has lost someone in the recent crisis. We are at twilight of our race and we will not spend the rest our days cowering."

Yamato bowed his head. "When this is done, I will guarantee that whoever remains lives the rest of their days in peace. The Elders can do at least this much for you."

"Tell us what you require."

"Ah, as to that, I have a very specific task in mind."

* * *

Ever since she had been a little girl, growing stronger had been an obsession. So much so that she had completely buried the girl who had existed before. But just like any façade, it was not perfect. Just one more layer of armor, which could be cracked with a strong enough blow. And underneath was a scared little girl. The same girl who had sensed her own terrible destiny before any of her friends had even known of their own roles. She had looked to them for strength and had found it in an unlikely source. 

He had been so small, a little shorter then her and even weaker, physically. But his strength had lain in his convictions, his stubbornness. He fascinated her and she had wanted that strength for herself. She had put up so many masks to make it so and those masks had fooled everyone but never him. Instead, he had made her transformation the focus of his teasing. Every little comment designed to bring that little girl out to play. He had never forgotten who she really was. She loved him for that.

Hikari drew in a shuddering breath as the screams finally stopped. They were taking down the X shaped crucifix. Takeru had been strapped to it and tortured non-stop for the last two days. His screams had cut through her. They had driven Angemon mad until he had to be sedated so he would not hurt himself. She had heard someone recommend trying to shoot down the crucifix and putting the 'poor bastard' out of his misery. It made sense but she could not bring herself to give that order. Her weakness and she hated herself for it.

For some reason she found herself thinking about the last clone of Takeru that had been sent to her. It had been a day much like this one, gray sky overhead with a bitter cold wind, when she had put an end to his life. That day was etched into her memory.

* * *

**FLASHBACK**

* * *

She was thinking back to all that they had shared in the last two months. Every single moment of discovery, of learning, even passion. She had slept with him and that had made this betrayal even crueler. It was no less then she deserved though. She had known full well he was not her Takeru. 

"Give me the crest." She said to him, keeping all emotion from her voice.

He looked at her wild-eyed, a cornered animal that saw no means of escape. He slowly raised his own sword.

"Don't be an idiot. I may have trained you but you are not good enough to beat me. Not with just one month of training."

His hands were shaking. She could see that clearly enough. Why would he challenge her knowing that he could not win? Unless the crest had never been the true objective. Was he being controlled?

"I can help you, Keru. Just put down the sword." She took a short step forward, lowering her own sword.

"Stay back, Hikari." He swiped the sword at her viciously. She barely managed to dodge it. "I won't hesitate to kill you."

"You are being controlled. Let me help you." She used her powers to try and probe his mind and found herself blocked. He read it in her expression of surprise.

"Nobody can help me now." He barked a short humorless laugh. "It was fun while it lasted, Yagami."

He leapt towards her, giving her no chance to back away. Hikari ducked under the wild stab and brought her own sword up, running him through. He gave an odd little sigh and sank down to his knees. She pulled her sword free and he slumped forward. She caught him in her arms before he could hit the floor.

"Why?" She questioned. "I taught you better then that."

"Thank you," he managed to say in between the spasms that rocked his body and then he was gone.

Hikari clutched him to her chest, holding him for a long while.

* * *

**END FLASHBACK**

* * *

"Did you like that show?" 

The voice snapped Hikari out of her reminiscing. Isuzu had come back.

"You will enjoy our encore. Sadly, our torturers needed a break. You would not believe the care that goes into keeping a man in a constant state of pain. I am sure Takeru appreciates it too. Not that it matters much. I imagine the pain has driven him mad by now."

Hikari stayed silent, staring down at the army.

"Nothing glib to say this time? I am..."

"You have made yourself an enemy, Asahina." Hikari replied quietly.

A moment of silence and then Isuzu said, "Such a cutting reply. You will have to teach me how to speak with such finality."

Hikari did not reply and a moment later the hologram beside her disappeared. She was alone once again. It seemed a fitting epitaph for her life. She retreated back into her memories. After the clone had died, she had noticed a strand of telepathic power linked to his body. It was fading fast but she managed to trace it to its source.

* * *

**FLASHBACK**

* * *

There were a group of five men gathered in the small warehouse. It was a large group and how they had infiltrated her base was beyond her at the moment. A great deal of things were beyond her at the moment, her thoughts fixed entirely on one thing. She snuck forward until she was right over the group. One quick check revealed that all of her weapons were where they needed to be and then she jumped down from the railing right into the midst of the group. 

She began moving as soon as she landed. Her sword weaving a deadly pattern until all but one of the spies was dead. He managed to dodge her sword and backed away from her as she slowly rose to her feet from a crouching position. A quick scan revealed that he was unarmed.

"Yagami, Hikari," he sighed. "Well, I suppose this was a risk to begin with. You have caught me."

"Were you the one behind this clone?"

"Behind this one and all the rest. Although, this one was my greatest creation."

Hikari threw away the sword and advanced towards him. He grinned and raised his own arms. "You will regret that action."

He was a well built man and likely stronger then her but she did not care. His punch caught her in the side of the face and whipped her around. She went with the momentum, spun around and backhanded him. It was a pure fistfight from the start. She did not back down and neither did he.

The pain from his blows was no less then she deserved. It seemed a fitting punishment for her weakness.

She did not know how long they fought. Time had lost all meaning until suddenly the sound of him pleading with her to stop broke her out of her daze. She looked down at him lying prone underneath her. She had straddled his waist and continued her beating. His arms were lying uselessly at his sides, the shoulders dislocated.

"Please, I give up." He croaked through bruised, bleeding lips.

Hikari rose to her feet and then retrieved her sword from where it had been lying on the ground. She began to walk back towards him. He read her intent in her eyes and began pleading once again.

"Please. I give up. You can't do this."

His words irritated her. And the next time he opened his mouth, she pushed the sword in until it exited the back of his head and struck the ground. A sharp twist upward and the sword sliced through his skull.

* * *

**END FLASHBACK**

* * *

History was playing out before her eyes in the same way again. She had paid for her weakness with his death once before and it seemed she was going to pay for that weakness again. It was her fault for not stopping him from going on this mission. Her fault for allowing Isuzu to escape. 

All of this, her fault.

* * *

**FourDays Later**

* * *

A flash, a loud thunderclap and suddenly Yamato found himself standing underneath a tree. Several paces yonder stood a large City. Sentries manned its outer wall and they had no doubt taken notice of his sudden appearance. He turned to Kha'noth and said, "Are you sure this is the right place?" 

"The Citadel of Yagami, Hikari on the Continent of Sever. Yes, this is the place."

Yamato grunted. "Well, we will know soon enough I guess."

They approached the outer wall and as they got closer the main gate swung open. A lone figure stepped out, raising his hands to show that he held no weapons. Yamato mimicked the action.

"It's not wise to come out here alone." Yamato said. "I could have been anybody."

Iori smiled. "I did not come out alone."

The ground under Yamato's feet suddenly trembled as if something was moving underneath.

"Point taken," he muttered.

"Unfortunately not. With Hikari not here at the moment, I can't verify whether you are who you say you are. So, I cannot allow you to leave."

"Wait, Hikari isn't here?"

"No. Come inside and," Iori glanced over at Kha'noth, "bring your Digimon friend with you. I've never seen that breed before."

"I am not a…" Kha'noth began.

"Wait a second." Yamato interrupted urgently. "I can't stay here. I need to deliver something to Hikari. It is important."

"Do you have anything that we can use as identification?"

"Well," Yamato fished out an ID card; "I was given this at that outpost Sora took me to."

"After Seona, that is pretty much useless."

"My Digivice?"

Iori shook his head. "We can do a DNA test but it will take time."

"We don't have that luxury."

"You should have thought of that before coming here. This is a war we are fighting after all and there are precautions."

"Damn," Yamato hissed. "Kha'noth, take us to Rayne."

"Oh no you don't," Iori sprang forward but only ended up catching thin air as Yamato vanished. He straightened quickly and found himself standing outside completely alone.

* * *

Hikari knew that she was being irrational. Four days of standing constant vigil as they tortured him before her eyes. Four days spent rooted to the same spot. They had tried to get her to move, tried to use force when she refused. Her shield had fended them off. With the power she now possessed, she could keep it up for weeks if she chose. Nothing was going to make her move. 

A loud noise like a thunderclap sounded behind her. She turned just in time to see two figures appear in the courtyard. Their sudden appearance amidst all the Digimon and Humans caused an instant chain reaction. Everybody's nerves were on edge and quite a few ended up hurling energy blasts at the pair.

Hikari caught a sight of blonde hair, the head quickly whipping around. _That profile._ She cast her shield over the two just before the first blast struck, casting plumes of smoke skywards. And then, she was shrieking for everybody to stop. A wild hope took root in her heart and she began to run down to where the two figures had appeared.

He has cheated death so many times before. Please gods, let this be true. They were probably torturing a clone outside.

She slowed down, eventually coming to a stop as the smoke around her barrier lifted. Standing within her shield was the elder brother and not the younger. The last shred of hope she had clung to turned to ash in that instant, leaving behind a raw, open wound that she could not conceal. She wanted to break down and cry.

"Whew," Yamato exclaimed, "that was close."

A flap of wings and suddenly Angewomon landed beside Hikari. "What are you doing here?" She questioned.

"That is what I am wondering actually," Yamato replied. "And who is that screaming? Are you people torturing someone?"

"It is Takeru," Hikari replied listlessly. "They are torturing him outside."

"Not possible," Yamato waved dismissively. "Takeru is still recovering. He told me to give you this." He held out a D3 and tossed it at Hikari.

As out of it as she was, her reflexes were still those of a highly trained warrior and she caught the D3 out of thin air. She looked down at it in confusion then looked back up at Yamato.

"He's alive, little sister. They lied to you."

A flood of emotions then, all mixed together and she staggered a bit as they hit. Angewomon quickly grabbed her shoulders to keep her from falling. She was thankful for that little bit of relief. It allowed her to regroup and push back all the self-recrimination she had forced herself to endure.

"Wha… where is he?" She wished her voice did not sound quite so tremulous.

Yamato glanced around. "We should take this inside."

Hikari quickly straightened and nodded her head. "Yes, that would be wise. Come with me." She marched forward, grabbed Yamato's arm and dragged him after her.

As they left the courtyard, Hikari heard Angewomon ordering the soldiers to get back to their posts. That she was doing it and not Willis meant that he had likely decided to take a little break. It was not until much later that she realized the screams from outside had completely stopped.

* * *

Isuzu stared up at the plumes of smoke rising from inside the base and wondered what had happened. Whatever it was, it had been enough to draw Hikari away from her perch. Perhaps Takeru had come back. From the reports she had read, they had never found his body. 

"We have lost."

Isuzu looked questioningly at the man seated behind her. Aidan Black was looking much better these days. All of the injuries he had sustained had been healed although there was still an unhealthy pallor to his skin. A sign, if one needed it, of the unnatural state of the man.

"There is an Aal within the outpost. Possibly another Chosen as well. Her spirit has also begun to rise." Aidan rose to his feet. "I think it is best if we leave now. It was a good plan but I cannot let them isolate them from my source of power. We will proceed with the original plan."

Isuzu began to respond but by then he had already vanished.

* * *

Hikari stared down at the Digivice. So, he was okay, as okay as was possible when all your skin had been burned off your body. She wanted badly to see him and knew that would not be possible. She had shirked her duties long enough. 

Yamato had explained about the Aal and the Forbidden Isle. Then he had lapsed into an explanation about their ability to travel instantaneously within the Digital World. Apparently, they could also sense her presence now. The Aal had commented on how her power had grown considerably. He had also sensed the Undersea Master's presence but that had faded a short while after he had arrived.

The whole conversation had been concluded with Angewomon coming in and informing them that the army outside was leaving. Hikari had given her leave to go to Angemon and tell him the good news. She had dismissed Yamato and the Aal shortly afterwards so that she could concentrate on the D3.

The Digivice presented a unique problem. Obviously Takeru had chosen to have it sent to her because the password was something they both knew. The problem was that they had shared far too much with each other and the list of these things was very long.

Hikari shrugged. '_Oh well, might as well start at the beginning. Playground, Hika chan, Sazaki, sweetie, snookums - Gods, she hated that pet name – tomboy, Rhythm Emotion, Rizumu Emooshon.' _The Digivice suddenly went into a 'Now Loading' screen. _'Oh Keru, you dork.' _Hikari chuckled fondly.

Her eyes narrowed as the D3 launched its operating system. A soft chime sounded and a voice declared in a singsong fashion 'Su Ka Sa.' She had never seen that particular opening before. The Guardians constructed most digital devices and their OS carried no logos. Furthermore, Sukasa Corp. was the biggest company in Japan when it came to consumer electronics. Why would they be constructing Digital Devices?

Brow furrowing, she began to go through the Digivice. There was only one file on it; the rest of the hard drive was blank. She clicked on the file and gasped in disbelief as a whole chart of information opened up. Using her powers, she quickly found Yamato's mind. _'Please join me in the office.' _She shut off the mental contact and began to study the information in front of her. A few moments later, the door to the room opened and Yamato walked in.

"Any luck?" He questioned as he took a seat.

Hikari slid the Digivice over to him. "I've copied the information on my own D3. Get this to the others as soon as possible. Judging by the data, we only have two more days before all hell breaks loose."

Yamato stared down at the Digivice and then pocketed it. "Do you have any recommendations for the others?"

"Tell them to proceed as they have for now. In two days time, we will strike back."

Yamato nodded and turned to leave.

"Oh, and Yamato." He paused. "When he wakes up, bring him to me right away. He is not to go anywhere else. If he argues, tell him that this is an order, not a request."

Yamato chuckled. "I will tell him." He raised his hand in farewell and then left.

* * *

**Interlude**

* * *

His ambitions had been thwarted for far too long. Implant a Spore with no thought as to what it might awaken. They were such shortsighted fools. It had taken him a while to get adjusted to his new powers. He could feel them within him, entrapping the Spore and causing it pain. They could purge him of the parasite at will but he refrained. With the right amount of enticement the Spore would serve him. He could hear its silent shrieks, music to his ears. 

He had always been a hunter waiting calmly amidst his prey. Hiding deep within the recesses of his mind so that not even the telepaths could find him. Quietly biding his time until his moment came. And now, it had finally come. He had received orders to destroy Baihumon, the Protector of the Continent of Ellum. The request marched in step with his thoughts although the end result would be entirely different.

Ken smiled atop his throne. _'Oh, wouldn't it just.'_

* * *

**End Interlude**

* * *

Taichi looked down incredulously at the D3 in his palm. It was all there, from enemy numbers to what type of digimon were being used. The most important thing though was the chart of enemy movement. It matched the attacking patterns they had encountered over the last week perfectly. 

"Is it something we can use," Mimi questioned tiredly from her seat at the table. She had been pushing her powers to the limit, trying to predict where the enemy would strike next.

Wordlessly, Taichi passed the D3 to her. Fixing Yamato with a steady gaze, he asked, "Where is he?"

"Recovering. He was hurt pretty badly. I still cannot piece together how he escaped."

"Does it really matter?" Mimi questioned, waving the D3. "It's not like we can argue with his results."

Yamato nodded. "You are right. We should move forward now. Hikari recommended that we coordinate our attacks for maximum effect. The minute they learn we have this information, they will change their strategy."

"Two days from now," Taichi muttered.

"Makes sense," Mimi replied. "That date is when all of their forces launch simultaneous attacks across all five Continents. They plan to cripple us but if we get them, we can eradicate nearly 90 percent of their troops."

"Contact the others after you have rested." Taichi said to Mimi and then turned to Yamato. "I want you to check with the other Protectors. See if they can offer us any insight on how to deal with the Dark Spores."

Yamato nodded and rose to his feet. "Understood, but afterwards, I would like to return to the Forbidden Isle. I want to be there when Takeru wakes up."

"Bring him to me as soon as he is awake."

"Sorry, but Hikari gets first dibs on him." Chuckling to himself, Yamato left the room.

"Are you sure that granting him this much leeway is wise?"

"Probably not." Taichi shrugged. "However, let him be for now. Whatever his true intentions are, they seem to benefit us as well. The one I am really worried about is his reckless younger brother."

The door to the room was suddenly pushed open and a man stepped inside. "Lord Yagami, Lady Tachikawa." He nodded his head at both Taichi and Mimi.

"Mr. Frost." Taichi replied. "Why are you here?"

The man took a seat at the table. "I just had a very illuminating discussion with some of the refugees Lady Tachikawa escorted back to this base. Did you know that the twelve-year-old son of Lord Cain was murdered along with his father?"

"I did," Taichi replied gravely. "Make your point, Frost."

The man's eyes narrowed. "You are allowed to rule at the Council's behest. Don't let the power go to your head."

Taichi was about to retort angrily but Mimi beat him to it. "My, all this testosterone in the air. It's enough to make a girl swoon." Her tone changed suddenly, becoming less light hearted. "Don't try to bait us, Adam. You owe your existence to us. We have far too many things to do so make your point and go."

"As you wish. I want the name of the assassin you sent to Kroy. He will have to face the Council when he comes back and we will pass judgment on him. If word of his actionsever got out, we would lose the moral high ground in this war. Not to mention thedamage it would cause the world we will build after this war.I am sure you appreciate the intricacy of this situation."

Mimi was about to reply but this time Taichi cut her off. "His name is Takeru Ishida. He is one of the Chosen but had been missing for some time. He volunteered for this mission."

Frost nodded. "When this man returns, we will hear his testimony and then pass judgment. You will have to abide by the Council's ruling on this matter."

"Whatever you decide is fine with us."

The man bowed stiffly and then left the room.

"What the hell was that?" Mimi said as soon as the door had closed. "You are tossing him to the wolves."

"I know," Taichi said, a small smile playing on his face. "If they want to try and handle him, they have my sincerest condolences. I won't have to do it and you don't know how big a relief that is."

"What are you talking about?"

"They can put the harshest restrictions on him but getting those to stick will be another matter. And they will have to deal with Hikari too. That's one less problem for me to worry about. Now then, get some rest and I'll do the same. This news has actually put me in a much better mood."

"Pretty devious Taichi. Seems like you're not as clueless as I thought you were."

He grinned in response.

* * *

**OneDay Later**

* * *

He was falling, endlessly falling. For how long, he did not know. Oblivion had engulfed him and he could not say that he found its touch unpleasant. He had yearned so much for that embrace once before. An end to feeling, to pain, to hurt. It was a more generous end then he deserved and in the end, he had been denied it. He felt that the same would be true this time. That thought awakened anger and it was a bridge to his real self. 

With a loud gasp, he shot awake. Pain wracked his body, his skin itchy and hot. It felt oddly like it had been stretched taut over his body, that at any minute he would burst at the seams. He laid his hand against the wall for support and realized that he was inside a cave. He was swathed in a pair of sheets and it was quite apparent that those were the only articles of clothing that he had.

"You're finally awake. It is about time."

Looking sideways, he saw the imposter that wore his brother's face.

"How do you feel?"

"Thirsty," he croaked.

The imposter sat down on his knees and held out a cup of water. "Take small sips."

He did not listen and downed the cup in one gulp. "More," he said, passing the cup back.

He ended up drinking nearly twenty cups full of water. A bi-product of the inferno he had survived. He paused in his thoughts. How had he known that he had survived an inferno?

"How are you feeling now?"

Takeru leaned back against the cave wall. Its coolness helped to soothe his skin. "Better," he admitted. "The D3…"

"I delivered it to Hikari as you wanted. We have the information."

"Good. How long was I out?"

"It has been five days."

Takeru closed his eyes. Suddenly a wave of dizziness washed over him. His head was pounding terribly. He had a feeling that he was forgetting something and then suddenly, he knew. His eyes shot open. "Ken," he struggled to his feet. "I have to get to Ellum."

Yamato frowned. "Why?"

"The traitor, it's Ken." Groaning, Takeru reformed his blankets around himself. "Tell Taichi that I am going to go stop him. I will need one of the Aal." He paused suddenly. He knew of the Aal but how had he known he was on the Forbidden Isle?

Yamato did not seem to pay it much mind though. "We already know that Ken is the traitor. Hikari had Iori send one of their operatives to the Continent to investigate. Neither the Aal nor the Telepaths can get through the barrier over the Continent."

Takeru shook his head. "He is planning to kill one of the Protector's. No mere person will be able to stop him. I have to do it; I can counteract the Spore. Get me an aircraft and one of those arm-blaster's if you can."

Yamato shook his head. "Already rushing off to the next crisis. Do you even care what Hikari has gone through because of you? They tortured a clone of you in front of her non-stop for four days."

Takeru ran a hand through his hair. "How is she?" He asked simply after a long time.

"She was devastated, blaming herself for what she thought was happening to you. I told her the truth though and she is better now. However, she has given me orders to bring you back to her as soon as you awaken."

"I can't. This is too important."

"She said that if you tried to run off again, to tell you that what she has said is an order, not a request."

Takeru grimaced. "Do you have my D3?"

Wordlessly, Yamato handed it over to him.

"I assume all the right people have the information that is on this device?"

Yamato nodded.

Takeru switched on the D3 and put it in recording mode. "Hey snookums, don't be mad but I can't obey your orders at the moment. You are free to take your anger out on Yamato over here."

"Hey."

Takeru quickly shushed him. "I just need to do one little thing and then I will come back to you. There's so much I need to tell you including this little thing about me kissing another woman. Hopefully, you'll have cooled off till then and I fully encourage you to take that anger out on our enemies. See you later, Hika Chan."

Takeru tossed the D3 back to the imposter. "Take that back to her and then leave as soon as possible. She will be very very angry."

"You could at least wait until I bring Angemon and your Crest here."

"Is he with Hikari?"

"Yes."

"Then leave him there. He will be more use to her and I have been on worse missions without a Crest. Now, quit stalling. We have little time as it is."

Sighing, Yamato rose to his feet. "All right then, follow me."

* * *

Willis bit the bottom of his lip as he stared down at the vast clearing that had only yesterday housed a large army. He had felt a bit like Rumpelstiltskin, waking up and finding the world around him changed. The explosions had awakened him but by the time he had walked out into the yard, the excitement had already passed. 

Hikari had summoned him to his office later and had shown him the information Takeru had brought back. She had formed a telepathic link with Iori and the other Outpost Commanders and together they had worked out a strategy on how to crush the Dark Ocean Armies that would launch a fierce strike against them all tomorrow. The only unknown was whether the fiercest strike would come against the main Citadel or at his own Outpost. The information they had said it would be at the Citadel but Hikari's presence at the Outpost changed things.

She had chosen to stay at the Outpost instead of traveling back to the Citadel. A noble gesture but foolhardy, although, if her powers had expanded as much as she had claimed, they would easily win the coming battle. And then perhaps, he could finally go home.

A gust of wind alerted him to a Digimon's presence a moment before it landed near him. "How are you feeling?" He remarked by way of conversation.

"Well enough," Angemon replied.

And that was that. The two continued to stare out at the field below the Outpost. Angemon suddenly stiffened, his wings unfurling.

"What is it?"

"They left something behind."

Before Willis could say anything else, Angemon leapt off the wall. Willis tracked him as he dipped his wings and glided low over the field. Suddenly, he wheeled about, flapped his wings and rose further into the air. And then he was heading back to the Outpost. Willis stared at him questioningly when he returned. Wordlessly, the Digimon held out a D3. Above the screen, the words, 'for Hikari Kun,' were inscribed in Japanese.

"A trap? Maybe a virus?"

"I doubt Isuzu Asahina would try anything as transparent. Take this to her. I cannot see her just yet."

Willis took the D3, a frown on his face. "You should not blame her for locking you up. She suffered as much as you did."

Angemon's lips quirked into a humorless smile. "I don't blame her. I blame myself for not seeing through their deception earlier."

"Blaming yourself won't help things either."

"I will get over it. Thanks for your concern."

"All right," Willis shrugged. "I should get this to her."

He left Angemon atop the wall and headed down to the courtyard. From there, he made his way into the main compound. He found Hikari inside his office going over reports from his commanding officers. She looked up as he entered the room and smiled.

"Willis, come sit down. You can help me get through some of these reports."

"You're asking for help? I didn't think you knew how."

"Ha ha. I figured I would get some sleep after I was done but my generous nature doesn't allow me to foist all this stuff onto you."

"How unfortunate," Willis remarked as he took a seat. He tossed the D3 to Hikari. "We found this outside. Angemon does not believe that it will be harmful."

"Not in any physical way at least." Hikari muttered as she turned the D3 over in her palm. Then, with a slight shrug, she pocketed the device.

"You're not going to look at it?"

"Nope, maybe after tomorrow. I don't want any head games distracting me from what needs to be done."

A muted chime suddenly sounded in the room and seconds later Yamato appeared out of nowhere. His Aal companion stood behind him.

"Hello, can't stay long. This is from Takeru." He tossed a Digivice at Hikari. "All right, get us out of here."

"Wait, what?" Hikari said as she caught the D3 but by then he was already gone. She was still staring at the D3 when she heard a soft scraping sound. She looked up and saw Willis trying to quietly get out of his chair. "Where are you going?"

"Uh, yeah. I forgot I had to do something." He laughed nervously and began to edge towards the door. "It's Angemon you see. He's blaming himself for all the wrong reasons. I really should be there for the big guy." He opened the door of the office and practically bolted from the room.

Hikari rolled her eyes. "Men." She looked down at the Digivice in her hand. _'So, you decided to ignore my orders. I hope for your sake you had a good reason.'_ With a small sigh, she switched on the D3 and opened the video file on it.

When it was done, she sat in thoughtful silence and then fished out the other Digivice that Willis had delivered. It also contained a video file. After she had watched that one, she sat still for a long while and contemplated just how she was going to deal with this situation.

* * *

A good portion of his memory was missing, yet another hold in his mind. It was frustrating. He remembered the Dark Ocean and the sound of the waves, the conversation with Isuzu and then Ninjamon. He even remembered stumbling out of his cell and using the dead guard's knife to drain the chemicals. Then, a step, another and the next thing he remembered was waking up in the cave. 

The dashboard in front of him beeped. Takeru thumbed a few switches and adjusted his flight pattern accordingly. If his information held up, he would be able to avoid any enemy patrols between him and his destination. It would also give him some time to recuperate and think.

His memories were missing but he remembered how hot it had been. His flesh had burned until there was nothing left. How he had come back, he still could not understand. The level of power it would require to return from such a state was astronomical. He was not sure he could have done it even with his Crest. And yet, he had done it without the Crest. His powers had completely regenerated his flesh. It did not even bear any of the old scars anymore. However, he had lost a whole lot of weight as a result. His body was nothing more then sinew and bone at the moment and it was only his will that kept him from complete collapse.

Hardly the most auspicious state to be in when going into what was sure to be a long, brutal fight.

He had also lost the ability to manipulate his features and that unsettled him more then he cared to admit. But, that was not his only worry. He still had not figured out how to explain to Hikari about the kiss between himself and Isuzu. It had meant less then nothing but she would never see it like that. He knew how possessive she was of the things she considered hers and he had little doubt that he fit into that category. After all, that had been the main point of their last night together.

_'Gods, I am so totally screwed.'_

* * *

**One Day Later**

* * *

The Temple was deserted and therefore quiet. The only sound was the steady clack of his boots hitting the marble floor. It was the sound of inevitability, the sound of one's doom approaching. Ken Ichijouji found the sound very pleasing. What he would do today would spell doom for the Chosen and the Dark Ocean. 

They had been fools to think they could control him. All the Dark Spore had done was awoken his true self. He had played along, all the while plotting his own grand design. And now the time had finally come. The Dark Ocean would attack his troops gathered in the South, not knowing that he had already informed them of the coming attack. Their armies would be defeated and he would return to his own triumphant troops after harvesting the powers of a God.

The reign of the Digimon Emperor would begin again and this time no one would stand in his way.

Ken rounded a corner and came to a stop. So, not as deserted as he had first thought. He smiled and said, "I had hoped they would send you."

"Turn around and leave," Takeru replied. "You are not going to get past me."

"Is that a fact?" Ken rushed forward, closing the distance between them. Takeru swayed aside, avoiding the first punch. He ducked under the second and then slammed his fist into Ken's face. The man's face jerked sideways but his only other reaction was a mocking chuckle. Takeru hit him twice more but he kept laughing. He ducked under the fourth punch, stepped inside Takeru's guard, grabbed the collars of his shirt and flung him halfway across the hall. Takeru took the fall on his shoulders and rolled backwards into a crouching position. Ken's laughter echoed through the hallway.

"Look at you. You didn't even bring any help, did you? Trying to play the righteous hero again. It's never going to change all those dirty, evil things you've done."

Gathering his power, Takeru channeled the energy into his arms. He then rushed Ken before the other man had a chance to react. A rapid exchange of blows followed but this time Takeru's hits did real damage. A fast uppercut finally snuck through Ken's guard, taking him under the chin and sending him crashing to the floor.

"More… complicated then that." Takeru panted lightly. "For a child genius, you always werea bit simple."

"Oh really," Ken replied, springing to his feet. "Oh guys, can you forgive me?" He said in an imitation of Takeru's voice. "I wronged all of you. Hah, how pathetic was that little show. Now me, I'm not held back by guilt. This world belongs to me because that is my destiny."

"And here I thought it was just an unhealthy obsession with your dead brother. What was that fantasy again? Something about blowing bubbles?"

Ken withdrew the sword at his hip. "You will regret saying that."

Takeru smirked and drew out his forcelance. "I've seen your tough act before. The very first time we fought, you put on a show. Huffing and puffing, bragging about how cool you were."

"And you punched me out."

"Fun, wasn't it?"

Ken sprang forward and Takeru met him halfway. From the first clash of their weapons, Takeru knew that he would not win. The other man possessed far too much strength and he was still not fully recovered from his ordeals of the past few days. That left him with only one chance.

As their weapons clashed again and again, Takeru slowly maneuvered himself into position. Ken parried the left end of the force lance as Takeru swung it towards his face. In that same instant, Takeru let go of the lance and withdrew the dagger he always kept up his sleeve. He lunged forward, his movements quick and precise but he only caught empty air. Ken's fist struck him then, a thunderous uppercut which lifted him off his feet and sent him crashing to the floor.

"A little something I picked up from your Girlfriend. You like?"

Takeru groaned, trying to reach for the forcelance. He gasped loudly a moment later as Ken drove his sword into the back of his left hand, pinning it to the floor.

"This is your first real defeat, isn't it? How does it taste, hero?"

Takeru snarled and grabbed Ken's leg. Mustering every ounce of his power that he could, he fed it directly into the man's body. Ken threw back his head and screamed as wave upon wave of healing energy flooded his body. And then suddenly, he fell forward, unable to stay conscious.

Takeru grunted as Ken fell atop him. The sword pinning his left hand twisted, sending spasms of pain throughout his arm. Gritting his teeth, he rolled Ken off himself. Removing the sword proved to be much harder. It was lodged firmly into the ground and he could not muster the strength to pull it out.

He took a slow, calm breath and then yanked hard with his left arm. The sword sliced through his hand, exiting between his middle and ring finger. And then, the pain hit threatening to drive him unconscious once again. He pushed back against the Darkness that encroached upon the edges of his vision and stumbled to his feet. Retrieving the dagger that he had lost earlier, he forged a makeshift bandage and wrapped it around his hand.

"You are such a pain in the ass," he remarked to Ken's unconscious body.

After he was finished, he sank down beside Ken's unconscious body and closed his eyes. It was only for a moment, he told himself. _Just a little more time to get his strength back._ The Darkness was so inviting though. He felt it envelop him as soon as he closed his eyes.

He awoke some time later, his hand throbbing painfully. Nothing around him had changed. Ken was still lying on the floor unconscious. Stumbling to his feet in a daze, he grabbed the fallen man's leg and pulled him along. His aircraft was behind the Temple. He just had to get Ken onboard and then he could leave.

He lost consciousness twice more along the way but made it to the aircraft by sundown.

* * *

To be continued. 

Please Review.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Disclaimer:I don't own Digimon.**

**A/N: Hi everybody. Sorry for taking so long with this. There was a moral dilemma when this chapter came along and well, I erred on the side of bad.Don't worry, you'll know what it is when you read it.**

* * *

_Seven Years Earlier_

* * *

'_So, mission finally over,' _Hikari thought as she walked the empty streets of the city. _'All that trouble for just a little scrap of information. Hopefully, it works out and we can free Ken before Daemon does any permanent damage.'_

Her eyes slid of their own accord to the boy walking beside her. He had been silent ever since they had woken up next to each other. _'Probably trying to deal with last night in his own way.'_ She remembered last night, his body underneath hers and the touch of his hands on her skin. It was fortunate that one of them had had some self-control. She had been prepared to go all the way with not one thought as to the consequences. Even now she could not help but think on how to keep him by her side. As the gates of the city came into view, she decided to break the silence that had developed between them.

"Will you come with us to rescue Ken? Our destination is the same so it makes sense. We could use another DNA Digivolved Digimon." She made a face. "Try saying that five times fast."

He was silent a long time and then he finally said, "I can't face the others just yet. To tell you the truth, I don't even know why I approached you." He took a deep breath. "Our destination may be the same but my path to it will be different. I'm sorry Hikari."

"I understand," she replied sadly.

As they crossed the gates, he surprised her by pulling her into his arms. She stared up questioningly as he brushed a stray lock of hair from her forehead.

"One last kiss?"

She smiled and pulled his head down. It lasted an eternity yet ended too soon. As he pulled away, she saw tears running down his cheeks. He was crying, the big softie. She thumbed away the tears.

"Take care of yourself."

He nodded. "You do the same."

And then he turned and left, disappearing into the swirling sands.

* * *

_Present Day_

* * *

Takeru groaned and opened his eyes. His hand throbbed painfully, joined in its eternal drumbeat by his head. His condition had worsened since leaving Ellum. In retrospect, he probably should have held back some of his power. Now, he did not have a single drop of healing energy left in his body and it would take quite a while for him to recharge. He sighed and rubbed his eyes. Then again, perhaps his excessive use of energy was why Ken had remained unconscious so long. Whatever the reason, that was the only thing that had gone right for him so far. He was not prepared to resume the old argument if Ken woke up.

Yamato had told him that the Chosen would gather at the Citadel in Rayne after striking one final blow against the Dark Ocean. If he was lucky, that had already happened. He could not be sure of the time since he had drifted in and out of consciousness throughout the trip. For all he knew, the Chosen had lost and he was flying into enemy territory.

The dashboard suddenly beeped, signaling that he was nearing his destination. A moment later another device on the dashboard beeped. Takeru looked down in surprise and pressed the button that operated the aircraft's microphone.

"_Unknown aircraft, you are entering Laguna Citadel's 'no fly' zone. Please identify yourself.'_

The communication surprised Takeru. They must have been feeling real confident to send a communiqué like this. Either they had soundly beaten the Dark Ocean or security had gotten lax. He pressed a button and responded, "This is Takeru Ishida." His voice sounded weak and thin even to his own ears. "I have Ken Ichijouji with me but he is injured. Please direct me to the Citadel's landing strip."

There was a moment of silence and then the voice replied, _"Proceed to 35 degrees 2' N, 122 degrees 3' W."_

"Understood," Takeru said as he entered the coordinates into the dashboard. Afterwards, the only thing left was to sit back as the autopilot did all the work. The Artificial Intelligence routines Koushirou and Ken had written for the aircrafts were a work of genius.

As the aircraft touched down, he unstrapped himself. Trying to actually stand proved to be a far more difficult task. A wave of dizziness washed over him as he rose to his feet. He reached out to steady himself and ended up using his damaged hand. With a hiss, he withdrew it quickly. The resultant stab of pain rid him of the dizziness and allowed him to focus on the task at hand.

As he got out of the aircraft, he noticed the men gathered around it. All of them were armed and it seemed they were all waiting for him. A man from their ranks stepped forward as he stepped onto solid ground.

"Takeru Ishida?" He asked.

Takeru nodded his head.

"I am placing you under arrest." He motioned to someone and Takeru suddenly found his arms being twisted backwards. Whoever it was, did not notice his injured hand and only aggravated it further. Manacles were slapped on his wrists and then they began to march him away.

Takeru dug in his heels, stopping the men that were taking him away. "Wait, Ken, you have to…"

"We are attending to him."

Takeru glanced at the aircraft and noticed several men lifting Ken out of the cockpit. With a sigh, he turned back to the man who had spoken to him. "He needs medical attention. I don't know why he has not woken up yet."

The man nodded. "All right."

"By the way, are Taichi or Mimi here yet?"

He didn't even see the blow that knocked him unconscious.

* * *

_Seven Years Earlier_

* * *

Perched atop the branches of a tree, Takeru studied the ancient Castle, which lay before him. A slight shift in the tree's branches alerted him to a presence behind him. Sensing no malice, he continued to study the Castle. However, curiosity finally made him turn and see who had come.

'_How… unexpected.'_

Ken Ichijouji regarded him with a tranquil gaze. "You don't seem surprised."

"I've learned to mask my emotions. Did Daemon send you to deal with me?"

"Daemon does not know of this meeting. I came to make you an offer."

Takeru smirked. "Go ahead."

"I want you to join me. Together, we can conquer this world and perhaps even the other."

"What makes you think I will go along with you? Remember what happened before."

"I remember it well. You have a killer right hook. But," Ken's voice grew sly, "that was before you lost Mommy and Daddy."

"Careful," Takeru warned.

"Ah, there's that fire I remember. But, it's a lot darker nowadays, isn't it? We are a lot alike, you and I. All that anger, all that resolve but in the end it will lead to nothing. We will just end up being used by beings that are a lot more powerful then either of us. So, why not join together? You don't have to go through what I did."

"I can do this by myself."

"That is a lie and we both know it. Tell me, what have you accomplished in the last year? You went to the Guardians and I bet they haven't given you one single lead that you did not have to struggle for. I can tell you right now that Daemon has nothing to do with the man you are after. And I bet it was Gennai that told you that he did. You are already being used."

Takeru stayed silent, not knowing how to respond. It might be possible that Ken was not telling the truth, however, his story made far too much sense. Was he just being used? He had given it his all in the last year in the hopes that the Guardians would help him but had that all been for nothing? After all this time, the only things he really knew about Sumeragi were his power. He still had not found a means for locating the man.

Ken smiled upon seeing his internal struggle. "I have done some research on the man you are looking for. I have not been able to track him down yet but it is just a matter of time. If you join me, I will hand over that data to you."

Takeru thought for a long time and then he nodded his head. "Take me in. I will join you."

"Good, but first, I have something in mind."

* * *

_Present Day_

* * *

When Takeru opened his eyes, he found himself staring into the mouth of hell. The blow to his head had left him woozy and the guards on either side held him up. However, it was the cell that made him panic. It was completely dark, all beams of light from outside the cell deflected away by the darkness.

"Wait," he slurred, trying to resist the two guards that held him. "Please…"

A hand curled suddenly in his hair and pulled his head back savagely. He found himself staring into a pair of green eyes.

"How many of your victims pleaded with you in the same way, murderer? I bet you've heard all of those words before."

A swift kick to his back and he stumbled into the cell. He struck the far wall with force, his hand exploding in pain. The darkness was all around him now and he couldn't get away. He tried to hold on for as long as he could and knew that he was going to lose that battle.

'_They have not closed the cell door._'

Upon that sudden realization he pushed back against the darkness enveloping his mind and tried to shout a warning. However the words froze in his throat. He could not let them out no matter how much he tried.

_'Oh gods, I'm so sorry… I'm so sorry… I'm so sorry…'_

And then just like that, he was gone.

* * *

_Seven Years Earlier_

* * *

The battle between the Chosen and Daemon had gone on for nearly three hours and it had been a stalemate for most of the fight. After Daemon had been noticeably weakened, Takeru gave Angemon the order to take him out.

"It's done," he commented as the drama played out on the computer screen.

"Good. Now for my end of the bargain." Ken opened the file on the data he had compiled on Ryo Sumeragi. "I'm not too far but…"

A blow to the back of the neck incapacitated Ken. He fell to the floor and Takeru quickly tied him up. He examined the file Ken had opened and copied the information to his Digivice. There was very little there but it was a starting point.

"Why?"

"Awake already?" Takeru said as he pocketed his D3. "I am impressed. A lesser person would have been out for hours."

"You double crossed me."

"Yes, I did."

"Why?"

Takeru shrugged. "I have no illusions about the path I have to walk. But, I will not betray my friends just to achieve my goals."

"You naïve fool."

"Maybe, but so were you for trusting me. I suppose you were right, we are not all that different anymore. But I hate myself and I could never tolerate working with someone just like me."

Ken glared at him but said nothing more. The alarms inside the compound suddenly started wailing.

"Time for me to leave. It was fun, Digimon Emperor."

He encountered no resistance on his way out. That was a relief because he had many things to think about.

* * *

_Present Day_

* * *

Sora slowly opened her eyes as the soft chime filling her ears faded. The room she was standing in now was small and bereft of any furnishings. What was surprising though was that not one person had been there to greet them. It was also a little too quiet. Sora shot Miyako a look and read the same concern in the other woman's eyes.

"Trouble?" The Aal who had brought them to Rayne questioned.

Sora shrugged. "Probably nothing. I just have a feeling."

"Check it out using your powers." Miyako recommended. "This is Taichi's stronghold. I doubt it's anything serious."

Sora nodded and closed her eyes. The gray void of thoughtscape replaced her surroundings as her consciousness left its body. She traversed the Citadel and tried to pick up on whether anything was wrong. A faint sense of something from the bottom most portion of the Citadel attracted her attention and she proceeded to move towards it. As she got closer, a flood of emotions suddenly buffeted her. There was desperation and fear but rising above it all was madness and rage. _'So much rage.'_

Sora quickly returned to her body and opened her eyes. "I have to get down to the dungeons fast. Wait for us here Tak'rul."

"What is it?" Miyako questioned.

"Something bad." Sora replied as she hurried towards the exit. "I'll explain on the way."

Miyako hurried after her. To her surprise, Sora actually began to run as soon as they left the room.

"Go to the command center." Sora yelled back at Miyako. "They are probably coordinating their assault from there. I'll keep the telepathic link open. Let me know what's going on."

Sensing the urgency of the situation, Miyako made her way to the command center as fast as she could. When she arrived there, she found only one person manning the ten terminals that controlled the Citadel. He was watching a video stream on the main terminal.

"What's going on here, Ralph?" Miyako questioned as she peered at the computer screen in front of him.

"A murderer got loose in the Citadel. Sorry, we couldn't organize a proper welcome. Where's Miss Sora."

"She's headed for the dungeons. Who is it?"

Ralph shrugged. "Don't have a clue. Somebody arrived here this morning with Lord Ichijouji. Adam had him arrested and then suddenly complete pandemonium."

"Ken is here. But that means…" Miyako's suspicions were confirmed seconds later as Takeru's picture flashed on screen. He was covered in blood and sat slumped in one corner of the hallway.

"He slaughtered fifteen people. Strangest thing I've ever seen. It seemed like he was using matter transformation to bend space around himself."

Miyako closed her eyes. _'Sora, it's Takeru. He's the one they are fighting against.'_

'_I know.'_ The reply came back tersely. _'I'm looking at him right now.'_

* * *

There was blood everywhere. It covered the hallway like some giant crimson shroud. Quite a bit of that shroud covered him as well. He could feel it in his hair and on his face. Sanity had been far too slow to return.

His hand had ceased throbbing but he could feel the incomplete healing that he had forced upon it. The nerves had not been treated with the care they deserved. He would probably never regain full use of that hand.

The doorway at the end of the hall creaked open. He tensed but then relaxed. There was nothing he could do now. Just trying to stand would require far more energy then he could muster at the moment. Perhaps, this finally was the end for him. He just wished he could have seen Hikari one more time.

As the sound of footsteps neared his position, he realized that there was only one person. He looked up as the sound stopped and saw a lone woman standing before him. Images flooded his mind: _him, springing to his feet, twin knives carved out of thin air, one plunging into her stomach while the other carved her face, the look on that face going from surprise to horror to agony._

Takeru took a deep breath and forced the images back into the darkness that had spawned them. He forced himself to meet the woman's eyes. The same emotions that he had long grown accustomed to were framed there. It was always horror, shock and disgust. Anger would follow soon after.

'_Unfortunate. She was a good friend.'_

To his surprise, she knelt down and took his hands in her own. "Come on, let's get you to the infirmary."

"Why," he murmured after a long while, "why are you all such big fools?"

She ignored him. "Can you get up?"

"I don't think so."

"All right, lean on me." She took his arm and wrapped it around her shoulders. He tried to push her away and she wrapped her arms around his body. "Don't be difficult," she snapped. "You need my help."

"The blood," he protested lightly.

"It's not the first time I've had it on me."

He gave in and let her pull him to his feet. A wave of dizziness struck him at the sudden movement and he sagged heavily against her. She managed his weight with ease and after he had regained some equilibrium, they left the dungeons.

As they walked, Takeru lost himself inside the haze of his mind. Everything was suddenly very numb. He could only concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other but soon even that feeling vanished.

Sora spoke suddenly, her voice coming from far away. "Takeru, what happened?"

He heard himself reply, his voice slurred,the sound coming from far away. "I was lost, an eternity of agony that seemed to have no end. At the beginning I wished for a savior but when none came, I realized that the one who would free me would not be my savior. He would be my betrayer."

"Takeru, please, I can't breathe."

With a start, he came to his senses. Sora was lying underneath him, her hands clenched around his wrists, trying desperately to pry his hands away from her throat.

"No," he groaned. "Stop, please stop." He tried to move his hands but he could not control his actions.

'_This is what you are.'_ The darkness within him whispered. _'This is what you will always be.'_

Sora's eyes began to close. _'no…NO!' _He would not allow this. "Your shield," he grated. "Use your shield, you fool." And then he realized that even that would not help. There were swirls of electricity dancing around his arms. She had used her shield but the damage it did was being healed as quickly as it came. He had tapped into his life energy again and it would sustain him far longer then Sora's powers would sustain her.

Something struck him at the base of his neck. It broke his concentration and Sora's shield tossed him backwards. He struck the far wall, his head rebounded and finally he sank into blissful oblivion.

* * *

Amongst the pouring rain and surrounded by tombstones, the girl clutched him in her arms. Her body molded against his back and arms entwined around his chest were not an altogether unpleasant feeling. However, it was the rain he remembered most. It had been falling so hard, the droplets of water hammering his body.

"Let go," he said to the girl.

"No," she sobbed, "I won't. Can't we just stay together? Nothing has to change."

"Even after I killed your father?"

"I.. Ican't forget that but if I let you go, you will only end up killing again. I can't let that happen. Takeru, I love you."

He began to turn, was still turning when she suddenly slumped against him.

Takeru eyes opened and his memories faded back into the recesses of his mind. The room he was in was lit by sunlight that streamed in from a nearby window. He tried to move his arms and encountered resistance. A quick glance revealed that his hands and legs were strapped tightly to the bed he was laid out on. With a sigh, he sagged back into the bed. His mind felt much clearer. His stomach rumbled loudly as a remainder that not all maladies could be so easily cured.

"Hungry?"

Takeru closed his eyes. "Hey, Mimi."

"You sound pretty calm for someone who has done what you did."

"It wasn't even the worse thing I have ever done. Is Sora…"

"She's fine. Thankfully Miyako got to you just in time. There will be consequences but for now, you are safe. All we want at the moment are some questions answered."

"Ask away."

"What did you do to Ken? All of his vitals register as normal but he has remained in a comatose state since you brought him here yesterday."

"If he still has not woken up then the struggle is internal. I used my powers to disrupt the Dark Spore. It would have caused him pain and quite possibly, it was enough to wake up the old Ken."

"The old Ken? What are you talking about?"

"I can't tell you everything. All you need to know is that he is fighting himself. It is a mental struggle and you need someone who knows him very well to go in and pull him out."

"What are you hiding from me?"

"I have pieced together some bits but that information is not mine to give out." Takeru opened his eyes and fixed the woman sitting at his bedside with a steady gaze. "Just like your secrets are not mine to divulge Tachikawa, Mimi."

Her eyes narrowed and she held his gaze. Takeru sighed and turned away. "I won't give away your secrets Mimi and I won't give his away either. You guys need someone who can hold this burden for him and you need to find that someone quickly. The longer he is unconscious, the harder it will be to get him out."

"I will relay the information." Mimi was quiet for a long time and when next she spoke, her voice was subdued. "How much do you know about me?"

"Everything, including the contract you issued against the Coda. I assume that was because of Michael's death?"

"Yes, it was. You don't mind that I used you like that?"

"No, if you had not asked for me by name, I would have been killed by the Assassin's Guild. Your contract allowed me to make some very powerful allies. For that alone I am in your debt."

"So the Coda necklace you used in Kroy meant nothing?"

"Of course, I only used it because the woman I took hostage was Coda."

"Oh, I see. Does Hikari know about me?"

"I have not told her but she has poked around in my mind a lot. She may have seen some things. I would also guess that Yamato knows since he was hiding in my head all that time."

"Oh, I hadn't thought of that."

Takeru hesitated a moment. "Has Hikari arrived yet?"

"She'll probably show up late afternoon today. When she gets here, we will decide what to do with you."

"How bad is it going to be?"

"You slaughtered fifteen people Takeru and you almost killed Sora. Worse yet, the security cameras picked up everything. The footage is not easy to watch."

Takeru sighed and closed his eyes. "And will you be the ones who judge me."

"Unfortunately no. Since you are Chosen, the Council will pass judgment."

"The Council? You mean the various Outpost Commanders you made deals with?"

"Yes, most of them are Outpost Commanders although a few just act as observers for the rest. Catherine, for instance, is one of them. The man who arrested you was another. He exceeded his authority. Neither Taichi nor I gave any such order."

"What was his name?"

"Adam Frost."

Takeru shook his head. "Does not sound familiar but he talked like he knew me."

Mimi shrugged. "We will think about that later. Right now, I want a complete report about your mission from beginning to end. Don't leave one single thing out."

"What's the point? I accomplished the mission objectives. That should be enough."

"The details of the mission are important. They will be a main point when you are brought before the council. I can help you prepare a stronger case for yourself."

"Don't bother. I will handle this myself. You and the others need to distance yourselves from me. A scandal like this will only drag you down too."

"And here I thought Hikari had finally gotten through to you." Mimi sighed. "It's been a long night and I don't have the strength right now to slap you around like she does but…"

Takeru heard her rise to her feet and opened his eyes. He gasped in shock as she leaned over him and covered his mouth with her own. Her tongue slipped into his mouth before he had a chance to do anything. She flicked her tongue teasingly against his own, gradually drawing him out against his better judgment. He made a mental note to think up another excuse for Hikari.

A few moments later, Mimi pulled away. "Hmm, more submissive then I'm used to although I suppose Hikari would enjoy that." She took in his flushed features and grinned mischievously. "Calm down Junior, it was just a kiss."

"What the hell was that?" He wanted to shout but the words came out far more subdued then he had wished.

"A lesson! The bonds we forged so long ago cannot be broken so easily. We are not going to abandon you so stop trying to push us away."

"I almost killed Sora."

"And she would be the first to forgive you. Since your little rampage, she has tried to round up as many sympathetic council members as she can. The others have been helping her. You at least have a chance. Are you just going to turn your back on their hard work?"

"How… why…" Takeru sighed. "Why are you all such big fools? Didn't she understand why her powers would not work on me?"

"We understood all too well." Mimi gently caressed his face. "Personally, I'm surprised you've managed to hold on by yourself for this long. Now that you are back with us, we will not let you go through this alone."

Takeru's stomach suddenly rumbled loudly. Mimi chuckled and then surprised him by unfastening his bonds. "I will have some food brought in and while we eat, you can tell me about your mission. Okay?"

Takeru looked into her eyes and then after a long while, slowly nodded his head.

* * *

Before her stood a lone castle. Spires, towers and walkways lined it, sometimes continuing in the oddest directions. There was even a stairway looping around one of the towers as it continued up and up and up into the cloudy, gray sky. Long streaks of lightning lit up that sky, accompanied by roars of thunder.

"What a lovely greeting," Miyako muttered under her breath. She took a deep breath, gathered her resolve and entered the castle through the large twin gates that served as its entrance.

Inside, the only illumination was provided by two parallel rows of torches that led deeper into the castle. Beyond the torches was an inky blackness that the light could not pierce. She began to walk the path the torches illuminated until she could no longer tell how long she had been walking. Her perception was being warped which was an alarming thing.

"Sora," she whispered quietly, "you still with me?" A reassuring presence at her shoulder made her whirl around but there was nobody there. "Right," she muttered and then continued on her way.

After a long walk, the row of torches finally came to an end at a small ordinary looking door. Miyako took a deep, calming breath and opened the door. A faint bit of light illuminated the interior of the room. Her eyes sprang of their own volition to a figure slumped against a round dinner table. His head was cradled in the crook of his arms but from his profile, she could tell that it was Ken. She hurried over to him, calling out his name.

The chair suddenly clattered backwards as he shot to his feet. A sword whirled out of nowhere into his hands and he swiped it at her. Miyako cringed but the sword passed safely through her body. Ken stood there, stared at her for a moment and then sighed.

"Figures. You've probably got one of those teep bitches with you. Well, this is fun and all but you're not going to accomplish anything here. So, why don't you just run along."

"K…ken." His vehemence surprised her but then she suddenly remembered the information Mimi had relayed. "No, you're not Ken."

"Bingo! Give the woman a prize." Ken turned away, his school uniform flowing around his body until a purple cape flowed off his shoulders. His shirt and pants changed color to purple as well. New to the outfit was a hand cannon fixed to his right arm.

"Where is Ken?"

The Digimon Emperor shrugged. "Don't have a clue. Don't really care either but since you're here, let's take a journey."

The room suddenly shifted and grew brighter. Another smaller version of Ken appeared at the table. He appeared as he had when he was sixteen years old. Miyako watched as he worked diligently, jotting down different numbers on a piece of paper. A fly buzzed around him and suddenly he snapped out his hand and caught the fly by its wing.

"Keep watching," the other Ken said, his tone full of malicious glee. "Now it gets good."

Miyako saw the younger Ken set the fly down on the table and he meticulously began to tear off its wings.

"Do you see now? No matter how much you try, I will always be here. I will always be a part of him."

Miyako turned around and rolled her eyes. "It was a stupid little fly. If that's the extent of your control, I can live with it." She smiled at him. "When I find Ken, I'm going to have him stuff you so far down his psyche that you won't ever be able to get out."

The younger Ken sitting at the table stiffened suddenly.

"Stupid little bitch." The Digimon Emperor glared down at her. "Go ahead then, try to find him. You won't succeed. He'll kill himself before he talks to you."

"It would be so simple for you if I did, wouldn't it?"

Both Miyako and the Digimon Emperor turned in surprise as the younger Ken stood up from the table. His features slowly aged until he looked like his older self. "Sora, get her out of here. This is between him and me."

Before Miyako could respond, darkness engulfed her.

* * *

_Three Years Ago_

* * *

Hikari endured the images as they flashed before her eyes. It was the only thing she could do. After what seemed like eternity, the images finally stopped and she stared up at Yamato. He gazed back at her evenly.

"Any second thoughts?"

Hikari drew in a shuddering breath. "All I see is that he needs my help more then I had ever imagined. Take me to him, please."

Yamato nodded. "I will but there is one final thing that you need to know. Have you ever wondered why Takeru fell in love with you?"

After a long moment, Hikari shook her head. She had never wondered why he loved her. All that had ever mattered was that he did. They had confessed their feelings to each other but they had never had the time to fully explore those emotions.

"My brother has only ever looked up to two people," Yamato continued. "The first one was me and the second is you, Hikari. He fell in love with your strength, your spirit, and your never quit attitude. Thoughts of you have sustained him since all this began but a man cannot survive on memories alone. In his condition, those feelings for you became twisted. He still reveres you like a Goddess but he also believes that he is unworthy of you because of everything he has done."

"He's put me on a pedestal?"

"Yes, he isolated himself from you guys and only had his meager ideals to cling to. And then, he gave even those up. He needed something; someone to believe in and you were it. After his ordeal with Sumeragi, those feelings were twisted so far that what he feels for you now isn't exactly love, it's more like hero worship."

Hikari closed her eyes. "Take me to him. We need to talk."

"You're sure about this? Even knowing how he feels about you."

"I will deal with it."

Yamato shrugged. "All right!"

* * *

_Present Day_

* * *

Striding into the Cantina, Hikari was surprised to find it nearly deserted. That was surprising considering that just about every single VIP in the Digital World had come to Rayne and all of them had brought their own security. Along with the refugees from Kroy, it was a sizeable number of people.

Hikari marched to the counter and ordered one of her favorite drinks. After it was prepared, she retired to a small out of the way table from which she could observe the whole Cantina. Another perk of the location was that she remained unobserved and undisturbed. There was a lot of thinking she needed to do considering the quagmire that had greeted her when she arrived at the Citadel.

Perhaps the recent events, which had caused that quagmire, had kept most of the citizens from venturing out into potentially hostile territory. She could not find any particular fault with that reasoning since there were still rumors that the, 'killer of fifteen men,' had not been caught.

The continual circulation of the rumors was due mainly to mismanagement although she could not really blame either Mimi or Tai. Takeru's rampage had been very public and even though they had been able to conceal his identity, they had not been able to do the same for his actions. The conflicting information had created quite a few disastrous rumors and the overall mood in the Citadel was subdued.

All of her plans concerning Takeru had become obsolete the moment she had set foot in the Citadel. She had been planning on giving him a hard time and then forgiving him after he had groveled significantly. However, with the current situation she needed to reassess her approach. She had nearly forgotten all that she had seen and been told three years ago. This situation was a wake up call that had sadly come too late.

She heard footsteps approaching and looked up. Daisuke gave her a slight nod before taking a seat. "I thought you would have gone to see Takeru the moment you got here."

"Our situation is a little complicated right now. Besides, from what I was told, he is cooperating with Mimi. I'll go to him after the Council is done with him." Hikari suddenly frowned. "I have questions for you. Just where in the hell were you when Ken was running loose on Ellum? Why didn't you stop him?"

"Because he made sure I was out of the way before we got to Ellum. You can read my report."

"Why didn't you use the telepathic signal?"

"I did but no one responded."

"Hmmm, odd." Hikari lapsed back into silence, staring down at her drink. A moment later Daisuke coughed in an obvious attempt to get her attention.

"I wanted to ask you about Takeru," he said hesitantly.

"Go ahead," she replied, taking a sip of her drink.

"What he said to Sora, what did that mean?"

"You haven't talked to the others?"

"I got here as late as you did and everybody else is busy."

Hikari sighed. "All right, I suppose you might as well hear this from me." She took a small sip from her cup and looked up. "Did you wonder why Sora did not simply use telepathy to stop him?"

"I figured he surprised her and she was too flustered to concentrate."

Hikari shook her head. "If only it was that simple. No, Sora tried her hardest to get into his mind but she could not."

"Why? Is his mental defense that good?"

"Yes and no. He is exceptional when dealing with mundane telepaths but against us three, he would be as helpless as anybody else."

"And yet Sora could not get into his mind."

Hikari grunted. "When we were with the Guardians, we submitted ourselves to a series of tests. During those tests, we discovered that there were three types of organisms that we could not affect telepathically. The first set were plants, the second set were animals and the third set was composed of humans who were pathologically insane."

Daisuke, in the midst of taking a huge gulp of his drink, choked on it instead. After he had recovered, he stared incredulously at the woman seated on the opposite end of the table. She looked calm, her eyes seeming to stare inwards as if she was thinking about something else.

"Y…you have to be joking."

Hikari shook her head. "It has something to do with all the random thoughts and images in their heads. We can't get a hold on them like we can with a normal person."

"But, I have talked with him. We sparred together."

"And he was perfectly sane?" Hikari finished for him. "He is sane most of the time. Only extremely dark and confined spaces make him lose control and even then only if he is too weak to put himself into a meditative trance."

"How did this happen? How did he get this way?"

"He partitioned his mind to escape Sumeragi's torture. A clever strategy but he could only save a part of himself and the part he left behind was twisted by that torture."

"It always comes back to that bastard. What did they do to him?"

"At first it was just mundane torture but they could not break him. Shortly after, they discovered what he had done. Since they could not get to him, they decided to leave behind as many scars as they could. He was forced into a small box and kept there for nearly a week. Meanwhile, they employed psychic Digimon to assault his mind constantly. They skewed his perception of time. A mere week turned into an eternity."

Daisuke had to force himself to relax the white knuckled grip he had on his glass before it shattered. He could not imagine how Hikari could stay so calm.

"Not being content with that, they began to corrupt his memories. He would sleep and dream and they would twist those dreams. He must have escaped that dungeon millions of times only to wake up and find himself back inside his prison. They even used our images in those dreams and one by one we all betrayed him. It went on so long that he began to believe that he deserved to be in that place. That was what he was talking about when he spoke to Sora."

"How can you be so calm about this?"

"I have made my peace with it." Hikari sighed. "Look, you have your answers. If you don't mind, I would like to be alone for a little while."

Daisuke nodded sympathetically and stood to leave. He hesitated for a moment, feeling that he should say something but one look at Hikari made him decide against it. She already looked like she had withdrawn even further into herself. He gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze and did the only thing he could do.

Hikari slumped forward onto the table after Daisuke had left. _'You stupid, noble fool. You should have left me to Sumeragi.'_

Someone pulled out the chair Daisuke had been sitting in. The sudden movement startled her. She had not heard anyone approach. A familiar voice suddenly said, "You did not tell him the whole truth. He is not sane all of the time. In fact, his grip on sanity is tenuous at best. I bet if you ask him the reason why he went on this mission, you will get a half dozen different answers."

"What do you want Yamato?"

"I just wanted to ask whether you had reconsidered what we talked about three years ago?"

"I won't abandon him."

"Even after knowing that he may not love you? You certainly are a dedicated woman."

"He does love me. What you called hero worship, I see as respect. His insanity may twist some things but underneath, his feelings are pure."

"But you haven't checked, have you?"

Hikari kept silent, her face hidden.

"No, I don't suppose you would have done that. Ignorance is bliss after all."

"If you have a point, get to it."

"Well, an interesting dilemma occurred to me just a little while ago. Your powers have grown a lot these last few days. I wondered whether your love for him had grown along with them."

"What are you talking about?"

"I know what it's like for you better then anyone else. How every single moment is a struggle to control the energy flowing through your body. That struggle is probably why your are the way you are. To control the light requires a strong, authoritarian hand and that same methodology has defined your life."

"I know all this." Hikari pushed herself up and glared at Yamato. "If you are implying that my powers affect my feelings for him, you are wrong."

"Oh really," Yamato said as he rose to his feet. "I suppose that's a nice ad lib at least."

After Yamato had left, Hikari downed her drink in one huge gulp. She ordered five more and had begun to feel slightly tipsy when the summons from the council arrived.

* * *

The Darkness all around her, the pitter patter of her feet ringing in her ear and then in between one blink and the next Miyako found herself inside her own body. The sudden shock disoriented her and she gripped the edge of Ken's bed to keep from falling down. His body was still laid out on the bed, his eyes closed. She whirled around on Sora.

"Why did you pull me out? He still needs our help."

Mutely, Sora pointed behind her. A little cough from Ken's bedside made her whirl around again. His eyes were open, a small smile on his face.

"I stuffed him as far down as he would go."

"Ken!" Miyako started forward but Sora's hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"Is it you?" Sora asked as she stepped past Miyako.

"Yes," Ken nodded tiredly. "You can probe my mind as deeply as you want."

"Ken, what happened?" Miyako pushed past Sora and knelt by his bedside. "How did you…"

"I heard what you said to him. It helped, oddly enough. I'm sorry I took so long to wake up. I didn't want you to get hurt while I took care of him." He looked past her to Sora. "You can begin any time."

Sora shook her head. "I'm finished. You check out for now but I would like to run some deeper tests with Mimi and Hikari."

"I understand." Ken stretched out on the bed and winced in pain.

"What's wrong?" Miyako said, taking his hand in her own.

"My legs, they've gone numb. It's probably a side effect of the Dark Spore's destruction. I should be able to heal them but it will take a while. Can one of you make me a wheelchair? I'd like to catch up on everything that I've missed."

"Of course." Sora closed her eyes and concentrated. The air in front of her swirled and reformed into a metallic, silver wheelchair.

"Looks just like the one you had when you were fifteen," Miyako remarked.

"Yeah, I formed it out of memory."

Both women helped Ken get out of the bed and into the wheelchair. As they were doing this, a teenage boy came into the room. He waited patiently until Ken had been seated in the chair and then came forward.

"Yes, what is it?" Sora questioned.

"The council is ready to begin now. They request your presence."

Sora nodded. "All right, we will be there soon."

The boy bowed and left the room.

"A council meeting?" Ken looked up at Sora. "What is it about?"

"We will explain on the way," Sora said as she began to wheel Ken out of the room. "They might want to question you as well."

* * *

Hikari looked down at the crowd of people milling below the balcony she stood on. She wondered how they would take it if she threw up on them. The energy in her body was enough to burn most of the alcohol but she had consumed far too much. The effects were making themselves known and she was feeling slightly dizzy with a bad headache.

A hand suddenly clamped on her shoulder and squeezed. "Hey little sis," her older brother said in greeting as he came to stand next to her. "How are you holding up?"

"Ok, I guess."

Taichi sniffed tentatively. "You've been drinking," he said in mild reproach.

"Just a little. I didn't have enough to get really drunk."

"It's not that bad. They're not going to sentence him to death or anything like that."

Hikari grunted. "It is still going to be a bad deal. I heard from Jyou that they wanted him removed from our group."

"I put an end to that talk."

"You don't care that he almost killed Sora?"

"How can I when she doesn't." Taichi grinned ruefully. "She talked me down actually. I would have been much harder on him."

A change in the tone of the crowd below signaled that the proceedings were about to begin.

"Where are the others?" Hikari questioned.

Tai pointed to the other balconies, which ringed the giant room. "They're watching from their own vantage points. You looked lonely so I decided to come over to this one."

Hikari made a soft noise and leaned against him. "Thank you."

"It's going to be alright." Taichi said as he put his arm around her.

"Maybe," Hikari replied softly. "I hope so."

Below, Takeru was ushered into view. Hikari was surprised at how thin and weak he looked. She felt the first stirring of anger when she saw how he had been treated. His arms were pulled up high behind his back and bound tightly with chain. His legs were similarly chained with only enough slack to allow him some mobility. It had to be extremely uncomfortable especially in his condition.

"Was all that necessary?"

"They would not accept any less even with all of us in the same room. The way he used matter manipulation was something none of us have ever seen. It would require a tremendous force of will. Just getting them to leave their own guards behind was a struggle."

The lead speaker began to speak. "The purpose of this inquiry is to determine whether the actions taken in Kroy were in our best interests. Furthermore, we will examine the events behind the tragedy that occurred yesterday. The accused in both circumstances is Takeru Ishida. If you would like to say anything in your defense, now is the time."

Takeru merely bowed his head. After a moment, the man continued, "Very well, we will first begin with your mission in Kroy. You detailed a plan to Taichi Yagami and it was approved, however, you later changed this plan without consulting anyone else."

"Yes," Takeru replied, "I did."

"You idiot, stop posturing," Hikari muttered.

The speaker continued, "And why did you?"

"Before we arrived at Kroy, I learned that the mission might have been compromised. It was then that I began to think of a new strategy. However, it was not until I spoke with the Guardian, Corwin Calstrom, that I finally devised this strategy."

"You infiltrated the Dark Ocean's Embassy in Kroy. How was this accomplished?"

"I learned that the embassy was headed by the men Aidan Black and Jonathan Stark. I knew of them and infiltrated the Embassy disguised as one of their friends."

"That seems rather hard to believe. No disguise is that good."

"Not any of the conventional ones. I underwent a process six years ago, which allowed me to shift my features. I would demonstrate but I was hurt badly in my escape and I seem to have lost the ability."

"Can you describe the process?"

"No."

"Did you know about this?" Taichi asked Hikari.

She shook her head, concentrating on the drama below.

"We have a report of the plan you communicated to Ambassador Le Moigne. Knowing of this power of yours explains some things but it does not explain everything. You could not have done all that you did, alone. Who was helping you?"

"I have been a resident of this world far longer then any of you, far longer then even any of the other Chosen. In that time, I have made friends. It was only a matter of contacting one of these friends."

"And when did you have the time to do this?"

"I sent my Digimon partner in my place. He contacted them for me and instructed one of them to meet me in Kroy."

"You little bastard," Hikari hissed under her breath.

"What was that?" Taichi questioned.

"Now that I think about it, I can't believe I didn't realize it before; Black and Stark were both Sumeragi's henchmen. He went on this mission because of revenge."

Taichi grunted and turned back in time to hear the Speaker say, "Much of what you did seems premeditated. Were you planning on changing the original mission right from the start?"

"I was. I knew the two men in charge of the Embassy in Kroy. I would have gone after them on my own eventually. This mission was just one excuse to do so."

"I see." The speaker was quiet for a moment and then continued. "All right, you contacted your friend and got him to work with you. However, when it came to the night of the assassination, what went wrong?"

"My identity was compromised somehow. Only the Chosen had known that I had returned but somehow the Ocean's spies knew of it as well. Since the only new person who had shown up in Kroy that week was I, naturally they suspected me. My friend and I were rounded up and thrown into a dungeon. We made an escape, rounded up one of the Ocean's men, snuck into the main Citadel and accomplished the objectives."

"Was the murder of Cain's son one of those objectives?"

"No, he was in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"And that was reason to kill him?"

"He had seen my face and my description is well known to most of the hierarchy in Kroy. The plan would have failed if he had talked."

"But you said earlier that you disguised your features."

"When I killed Caine, I dropped the illusion. It is part of my own personal philosophy. If you must kill a man, you should look him in the eyes."

"And through your reckless actions, an innocent boy was killed."

"He was not the first and he will not be the last."

"So we should be killing innocents now?"

Takeru sighed. "Consider this, the average age of a soldier in this war is 16 years. There are a large number of twelve-year old boys fighting for the Dark Ocean and quite a few fighting for us. How many orders have you given that have led to the deaths of these soldiers? Or do you prefer to leave those decisions up to the Chosen?"

"Those men are soldiers. They chose to be in this position."

"Oh really. How many of you actually chose this path? You were stranded here after the gates to Earth were closed and had to make do as best you could. Those soldiers are no different and neither am I. The objectives of a mission come first, before anything else."

"That is an extremely simple way to view the situation."

"I would rather not let morality get in the way of the objectives."

Taichi groaned. "What the hell is he doing?"

"He's taking the blame for his actions." Hikari replied grimly. "Probably not what you planned with Mimi, was it?"

"All right, we shall now move on to what occurred after you were taken to the Dark Ocean. How did you escape and how did you manage to retrieve the information that you eventually passed on to us?"

Takeru shook his head. "I cannot divulge those secrets."

"Why not?"

"Much of what I am is a reputation that I have worked six long years to maintain. I will not simply give it away to satisfy your whims."

A moment of shocked silence and then the Speaker replied, "I see. Well, let's move on to what occurred yesterday." A large screen unfurled slowly behind Takeru. "First, a remainder of what took place."

The screen flickered to life and began to play footage that the security cameras had caught yesterday. On the screen, Takeru was shoved viciously into the cell. A few moments later, the guards were instructed to close the door but before they got there a blur streaked out of the cell. Takeru dispatched one guard with a simple blow to the throat and the other with an elaborate punch combination. As both guards hit the floor, he turned towards Frost. The man stared back at him and then suddenly began to run towards the exit at the end of the hallway. However, before he could reach it, the whole hall caved in and blocked the exit.

Takeru marched forward and unceremoniously cracked the other man's neck. The two guards had recovered by that time and were rising to their feet. The floor underneath their feet began to distort as if it was made of jelly. Tendrils of data reached up and stuffed themselves into the two guards through their noses. They opened their mouths to scream and gagged as tendrils of data pushed into their mouths as well. Their bodies contorted in agony as they were stuffed full of more data then they could handle. Their stomachs bulged obscenely just before they exploded, showering the hallway with blood and gore.

Amidst it all, Takeru stood calmly. He turned back to the hallway and it slowly opened up. A whole squadron of troops stood on the other side. They immediately leveled their weapons and began firing. A section of the floor rose up and intercepted the energy blasts. The section of the hallway where the troops stood began to distort and soon the process with the two guards was repeated on a much wider scale.

Suddenly, Takeru stumbled back, grasping his head. He looked around wildly and then slowly sank down into a corner of the hallway.

The camera's view changed, showing Sora practically carrying Takeru. As they walked, his arms snaked around her neck until he had her in a choke hold. Sora tripped him to the floor but was unable to overpower him. He wrestled her onto her back, his hands wrapped around her throat. She lashed out with her fists and hit him a number of times in the face but he barely registered the hits. Her hands then fell to his wrists, trying to pry them off.

------------------------

Takeru made himself watch the video as it reached its inevitable conclusion. It was a small favor that there was no sound accompanying the video. He was not sure whether he could have endured hearing the screams of his victims. One thing was clear though, he would not be walking out of the room without paying for what he had done. The mood of the council had changed upon viewing the videos. His own flippancy in not answering many of their questions had also not gone unnoticed. Mimi had warned him about that but he was not one to let anyone dictate his actions.

"Do you have anything to say?" The Speaker questioned once more.

Takeru looked up slowly, shifting his bonds behind him. "The only thing I have to say," he said softly, "is that I should not have been locked up the way I was. I could not control my actions and for that I am sorry. It is the only thing I am sorry about. Everything that I did on the mission to Kroy was necessary and I will not make any apologies about it."

"Is that all?"

Takeru bowed his head in acknowledgement. He could feel a pair of eyes boring into his shoulders as he looked down at the floor. Hikari was not likely to be pleased with his performance. She had her own plans for him and none of those plans would ever come to fruition if the council judged him the way he knew they would. _'Oh well, I'll jump off that bridge when I come to it.'_

"We will discuss your fate amongst ourselves in private. You may await our decision at your quarters."

The two guards that had brought him into the chambers reappeared at his side. He snuck a glance towards the balcony Hikari had been standing and found that she was no longer there. A sharp pull made him turn and he followed the guards out of the room. They stopped outside the door and he had to glance past them to see what had caused them to stop. Hikari was standing in the middle of the hallway and had blocked their path.

"I will take over from here," she said in a voice that left no room for argument. "Take those restraints off him." The two guards hesitated and she responded sharply, "That's an order."

Her tone seemed to decide them and they quickly took off all the restraints that adorned his body. "We need to talk," she said to him.

"Y…yes." He could not quite keep his voice from wavering.

She turned and began to walk. Bowing his head, he followed after. He wondered briefly how it would look to the guards to see him being led away like a whipped puppy but then put it out of his mind. He had more important things to concentrate on like trying to explain his actions and then surviving the resultant storm that explanation would cause.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, they arrived at a door. It slid open as Hikari fingered in a quick combination on the keypad beside it. Takeru followed her inside. The door slid shut ominously behind him.

Hikari whirled around, a furious look on her face. Takeru barely managed a step backwards before she was on him. He grunted loudly as she pushed him back into the door with force. Her left hand pinned his right beside his head while her right arm snaked around his neck. She yanked his head down and began to kiss him savagely.

As stunned as Takeru was by this sudden turn of events, he did not waste much time in responding to her aggressiveness. He pushed away from the door and encircled her waist with his left arm. She relinquished her hold on his wrist and wrapped her left arm around his neck as well. As their kiss intensified, Hikari leapt and encircled his waist with her legs. Takeru stumbled under her weight but managed to keep his footing.

She pulled away and growled down at him, "Get us to the bedroom." He detected a faint whiff of alcohol on her breath and opened his mouth to ask about it. She jolted him by squeezing her legs together. "Now, Takeru."

He knew better then to argue with that tone of voice. As he stumbled his way to the bedroom, she managed to claw off his shirt. Her touch turned almost gentle as she ran her hands over his bare torso.

"Very nice," she purred into his ear, "you've lost all your scars. Maybe I will mark you with a new one so you never forget who you belong to." He moaned as she pressed her nails into the side of his ribcage.

As he stumbled into the bedroom, she unclasped her legs from around his waist. Before he could regain any equilibrium, she shoved him onto the bed and straddled his waist. A loud groan, more like a low shout, emerged from his lips as she seized his nipples between thumb and forefinger and began to pull and twist them.

"Hikari," he whimpered her name as she continued her assault.

Her breath hot against his ear, she whispered, "You will be screaming that before I get done with you."

He tried to raise his own hands to reciprocate in some way but she grabbed and pinned them to the bed. "Hold still. You don't get to touch me just yet."

He wanted to struggle but one look into her eyes made him quell that notion. Even at full strength, his chances of overwhelming her were slim at best. As he was now, they were nonexistent.

Her hands on his waist snapped him out of his thoughts. He could see her in the gloom, perched over him, her arms moving behind her. She undid his belt and pulled it out. Looping it behind his neck, she pulled him up into another hard kiss.

Takeru surrendered to her and clung to her shoulders as she ravaged his mouth. He lost himself in the pleasure of the kiss and the bits of pain that accompanied it when she bit his lower lip. He gasped as she began to trail hot little kisses down his neck. She stopped at his shoulders and then started back up until she reached his right earlobe. A soft whimper escaped his throat and he turned his head to accommodate her. She bit his earlobe gently and then moved up and stuck her tongue in his ear.

Suddenly, the belt behind his neck vanished and she shoved him down. Her body crushed his into the bed and he felt himself heat up considerably. He cried out as she bit his shoulder. Her mouth continued downwards over his chest, which was still throbbing from her earlier treatment. She circled one nipple with her tongue while her index finger circled the other. He cried out again as she bit down on one while simultaneously squeezing the other.

He was moaning her name, pleading with her although he did not know what for. This was something primal, something he had no control over. She continued down his body, kissing, licking and biting until she reached his waist. He waited in anticipation as she undid the button and pulled down the zipper on his pants. But then suddenly, the sensation stopped. He raised his head and saw her at the foot of the bed.

"Raise your hips," she commanded. Her tone was sharp, authoritative; the voice of a master ordering her servant. He complied immediately and she yanked his pants off in one swift motion. She repeated the same process with his boxers, freeing his manhood from its confinement.

She studied him as he lay nude before her. He moaned softly, begging her to come back. She smirked and then slowly began to strip off her own clothes. Her movements were slow, deliberate, teasing and by the time she was done, his throat had become completely dry.

She stepped onto the bed and came to stand directly over his erection. Then slowly, she began to lower herself, her long legs spreading wider into a split. He felt the heat from her loins as she brushed against the top of his manhood. Amazingly enough, she was ready for him. He knew enough to know that women required a lot more foreplay then men but with Hikari that had never been a problem. She was ready for him even when she did all the giving. Dominating him genuinely seemed to turn her on.

Hikari grasped his erection in one hand and steadied herself over him. She held his eyes with hers until he gasped softly, "Hikari… please."

Without warning she slammed herself down on him. Takeru moaned loudly, his back arching up. She rode him down, her hips a blur as she swiftly raised and lowered herself. He reached for her only for her to grab his hands and pin them once again. She gave him a quick kiss before moving back to his chest. He cried out her name as she placed small sharp bites all over his chest.

He tried to hold himself back, to make her orgasm first. It was the last shred of male pride he could cling to after being dominated so thoroughly. However, she denied him even that much. Pushing herself up, she squeezed her hips together, clamping around him like a vise. He gasped raggedly and tried to resist but when she reached behind her and gave his balls a squeeze, he had no choice but to submit.

He came with a loud roar. Above him, Hikari threw back her head, her body arching like a taut bowstring. A soft cry escaped her lips as she climaxed.

After she had recovered, Hikari glanced down at Takeru. His eyes were still slightly glazed over and his breath was coming in soft, quiet gasps. He seemed to go so far away every time. She almost envied him that surrender to oblivion's grip although her own journey was sometimes nearly as long.

Hikari sighed and leaned against his chest. No one had ever made her feel the way he did. And even if his feelings for her were twisted, she could work beyond them. How many girls could actually say they were worshipped like Goddesses?

She knew that she was deluding herself and falling into the same traps that had ensnared her before. She did not even know why she had done what she had just done. Yamato's words from earlier suddenly echoed in her head. She shook her head irritably. So what if it was her powers? Did it even matter? Everything was just so convoluted and she could no longer exist like that. She needed to settle everything with him for both her good and his.

Hikari draped her leg over his waist and pulled him closer. She slowly traced some of the bite marks she had left on his chest. Takeru groaned loudly, "You can't still want to. Not this soon."

Hikari chuckled. "Welcome back and no, I'm blissfully sated for now. Although I have quite a few things I want to say to you."

"Would it help if I said I was sorry and that it did not mean anything."

"I am not really angry with you over that but since you felt the need to bring it up, we will start there."

Takeru began to speak but she quickly placed her finger on his lips. "Shut up and listen. You told me before I had a chance to find out myself and that counts for something. Given my own history, I can let it go. However," her voice sharpened considerably, "this type of thing had better never happen again. I don't care what your reasons are. If you want to get into their heads, find another way because if you ever cheat on me again, I will either cheat on you or I will kill you. Understood?"

Takeru nodded his head and she removed her finger from his lips. "How much do you know?" He asked softly.

"Why? How much were you planning to keep from me?"

"You sound like you know quite a bit. Did you read my mind?"

"No, I had a run in with Asahina. She sent me a Digivice with a lot of info about what you had been up to inside Kroy. Let's me make one more thing clear, I won't share you that way with anyone, not even another man."

"Oh!" Takeru closed his eyes. He was finding it hard to think straight. "It didn't…"

"…. mean anything? Yes, you already said that."

"I'm…"

"…sorry? Yes, I know that too."

Takeru sighed helplessly. "You're not going to break my shoulder again, are you?"

"Should I be that angry?"

"Why aren't you?"

"I told you."

"That could not be all of it."

"It isn't. There's so much more. Why did you go on this mission? Was it just simple revenge? You lied to me."

"I…" Takeru lapsed into silence for a long moment. "I had so many reasons, that was the problem. The way I am and why you could never trust me. I wanted to resolve all these voices inside me, to be the type of man you could be proud of, the type of man you deserved. But, I failed. I look back at this mission and I want to laugh at my own conceit. I thought I had resolved it all but everything unraveled the moment they stuck me into a dark room."

Hikari lay still quietly. She did not even know how to begin to respond to what he had said.

"I wanted so badly for you to trust me but I can see now I will never be worthy of it. I keep disappointing you and it kills me. You deserve so much better then this."

Hikari closed her eyes and came to a very quick decision. She cupped his face in her hands and said, "Just close your eyes and relax. It's time I did something I have been putting off ever since you came back."

A slightly puzzled look creased his features but he did as she requested. Hikari took a deep breath and delved into his mind. The mind was a repository of knowledge but beyond that, it was also a repository of emotions. She had once shown him exactly what he meant to her but she had never had the courage to see how he felt about her. Now, with all his feelings for her laid at her feet, she dove right in.

Her eyes snapped open a long while later. The emotions that coursed through her mind subsided a little as she stepped into her own body. She could not forget what she had seen though and the memory of all the time she had wasted had already begun to haunt her. What a fool she had been.

"Hikari?"

The sound of her name brought her out of her reverie. She buried her face in his chest and clutched him tightly in her arms.

"I'm a fool," she said quietly. "I listened to someone I should not have."

"What are you talking about?"

"I trust you and I'm sorry that I didn't before."

"Who was it that you were talking about?"

He sounded vaguely suspicious but before he could say anything more, Hikari leaned up quickly and kissed him. "I will take care of it." She said as she pulled away. "We've both made too many mistakes." He stared at her silently, the suspicion in his eyes growing. "Please, just trust me." The second Hikari said the words, she wished she could take them back. How could she ask for his trust when she had been so unwilling to trust him?

Takeru's features suddenly softened. "Okay, I'm too tired to argue anyway. Forgive me?"

"Don't I always." She leaned against him again. "Although the warning I gave you still applies. This situation I can understand. The second time I won't be so lenient."

"It won't happen again. From now on, I will never willingly leave your side."

"I will hold you to that."

Takeru sighed and wrapped his arms around her body. "You surprised me. I didn't expect you to jump me like that."

"What I should have done was thrown you out on your ass. What possessed you to go after Ken by yourself? You could have gotten killed."

"I don't know why I did what I did. There's so much about this mission that's a mystery to me. Since you already know most of the lurid details, I thought you could go into my mind tomorrow and help me sort out some of the things that I don't remember."

"Don't remember?"

"Another hole in my mind. I don't know how I escaped from the Dark Ocean. One minute I was there and the next I was roasting alive."

"All right, we'll go over it when I come back from the conference."

"What conference?"

"We all get together tomorrow and decide whether we should completely wipe the Dark Ocean's presence in the Digital World. They are the weakest they have ever been but we have taken quite a few losses too."

"Oh!"

They both lay quietly for a long time until finally Takeru said, "What do you think the council will decide?"

"I don't know. Your bullishness didn't help."

"Mimi said the same thing but I had to take responsibility for my actions."

"Even at the cost of our future? What if they exile you? I have my own responsibilities and I can't shirk them just to be with you."

"I have a few other surprises up my sleeve."

"What does that mean?"

"It wouldn't be a surprise if I told you. Trust me."

"Takeru."

He rolled over suddenly and pushed her onto her back. "My turn," he said with a grin.

Hikari rolled her eyes. "If you actually think you can hold me down, you're in for a big surprise."

"It wouldn't kill you to play along."

"Tell me what you're planning and maybe I will."

"Oh ok, well, I'm going to marry you."

Hikari suddenly surged upwards. He tried to hold her down but she quickly overwhelmed him.

"I hope for your sake that wasn't your proposal." She said as she pinned his arms once again.

"Why? Did I make a mistake?"

Hikari stared down at him for a long moment and then let go of his arms. "Ok, my fault. I forgot how clueless you were."

"So I guess your answer is no?"

"For the way you asked, yes. But it's not a no to what you asked. I just have some criteria you have to follow."

Takeru groaned. "I should have guessed. Can't we just elope or something."

"Are you crazy? I've been planning out this thing far too long for you to ruin it now. There is a very specific way everything has to be done."

"Okay," Takeru sighed, "let's hear it. What do I have to do?"

"First, there's the proposal. I want it done in the Christian style. Down on your knees and all."

"I thought you only had to get on one knee?"

"No no, get down on both."

"I'm pretty sure it's just one knee."

"Well, you had better get down on both."

Takeru rolled his eyes. "All right, what else?"

"The proposal has to be done in front of a lot of people. You have to make me the center of attention and I mean really the center of attention. I want this thing to be remembered by everybody and it has to set a standard in the way proposals are done."

Takeru looked up at her wide-eyed. "You're crazy. I can't do all that."

"Of course you can and you had better if you want to marry me."

"You're serious then?"

"Yes."

Takeru sighed. "All right, fine. Now let me up."

A puzzled look that was too fake to be genuine crossed Hikari's face. "Why would I do that?"

"You said you would let me be in charge you vindictive harpy."

Hikari laughed. "No, I said maybe. That harpy comment is going to cost you."

Takeru lunged up at her, grabbed her shoulders and forced her backwards. Hikari mock squealed and rolled backwards. They wrestled a bit but Takeru quickly found himself on the losing end. It took nearly everything he had to overpower her and that was when he was at peak condition. Fatigued by everything that had occurred in the last few days as well as the rapidly healed injury to his hand, he did not fare as well.

Hikari twisted his arm behind his back and then leaned down and whispered in his ear, "That was extremely foolish. I'm physically stronger then you right now."

"Okay, I'm sorry. Now let me up."

Hikari laughed again. "No, I think we will do extremely well like this."

"Hey, what the hell does that mean?"

She just laughed again and then let go of his arm. Their lovemaking was much more frenzied this time. In the end, he lost consciousness again just trying to match her energy.

* * *

To be concluded……..

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